Author:FAN Wei GE Shumin

Key words:trade unions; youth; migrants; wage income

Abstract:Youth employment has always been an important issue of concern to all sectors. A great deal of research has been conducted on the "wage premium" effect of trade unions, whilst little attention has been paid to whether trade unions can improve the wage income of young migrants. This study, based on micro data from China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) in 2017, empirically examines the "wage premium" effect of trade unions on young migrants. The study fi nds that joining the trade unions can signifi cantly increase the wage income of young migrants; but the "wage premium" effect of trade unions on young migrants is heterogeneous, with a greater improvement in wage income for females, cross-city migrants, especially ones of shorter duration of migration, those engaged in commercial and life service industries, and those working in foreign and joint ventures, state-owned enterprises, and the eastern regions. Moreover, joining the trade unions can also promote the signing of labor contracts between young migrants and enterprises, thereby increasing their wage income. It is also suggested in this study that in the future the grassroots organizations of trade unions should continue to be strengthened to protect the rights and interests of young migrants.

Author:WANG Yanyan

Key words:industrial workers; ideological and political guidance; trade unions

Abstract:Strengthening the ideological and political guidance of industrial workers, educating and guiding them to listen to the Party, follow the Party, love their jobs, and do their jobs well, is an important political responsibility assigned by the Party to trade unions. The problems of ideological confusion and ideal beliefs among industrial workers are not just cognitive issues, but are closely related to the society, environment, and their own practice. Currently, the wide application of artifi cial intelligence (AI) has had a profound impact on labor, communication, and ideological and cultural fi elds, and has also brought challenges and opportunities to the ideological and political guidance work of industrial workers. In the face of the new situation, trade unions organizations should take the initiative to be proactive. Starting from enhancing its political, advanced, and mass nature, and insisting on using Xi Jinping's new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics to strengthen the spirit, trade unions should vigorously promote the construction of "serviceoriented, systematic, branded, innovative, and digital" systems, innovate working methods, solve practical problems with heart and soul, and consolidate the ideological foundation of the shared struggle among industrial workers.

Author:HUANG Shuai

Key words:economic struggle; First International; proletariat; international workers' movement

Abstract:The First International was the first international political organization of workers and a product of the combination of Marxism and the international workers' movement. During this period, Marx clearly advocated and supported the basic position of standing fi rmly with the proletarian economic struggle, fully affirmed the important value of the proletarian economic struggle, and deeply analyzed the dialectical relationship between the proletarian economic struggle and political struggle. He also clarifi ed that the economic struggle could be a powerful lever for political struggle and social revolution, and called on the world's proletariat to combine economic and political struggles. These views, thoughts, and propositions are important components of Marxist class theory, pointing out the correct direction for the international workers' movement. Systematically sorting out Marx's theory and practice of proletarian economic struggle during this period, therefore, is of very important theoretical value and practical significance.

Author:WANG Fei

Key words:young Engels; workers' movement; ecological foundation; The Condition of the Working Class in England

Abstract:Young Engels' interpretation of the British workers' movement went beyond the narrow dimension of political economy, and had a rich ecological dimension. Based on an examination of the conditions of the British working class, Engels believed that the environmental oppression suffered by the working class stimulated their class consciousness and political potential; and the large city, as an environmental intermediary, provided a medium support for the formation of the working class. Thus, the realization of working-class ecological liberation must adhere to the ecological criticism of capitalism. Starting from the ecological foundation of the working class, Engels explored the theoretical way for working-class ecological liberation in the criticism of capitalism's anti-ecological nature, and opened up a new path for disintegrating capitalism. Engels' ecological dimension of the theory of the workers' movement, hence, is of great signifi cance for re-examining the subjective position of the working class, expands the domain of capitalist criticism, and deepens the theory of working-class liberation.

Author:LUO Man CHEN Bulei

Key words:wage payment; risk management; social insurance; social assistance; social compensation

Abstract:In response to the typical risks that production capacity has to be declined, labor hours have to be reduced, and the cost burden of enterprises has to be controlled, the theoretical community in China has formed a consensus on exploring the establishment of a wage risk sharing mechanism in the fi eld of social law, but currently there is no consensus on what specifi c social security measures should be taken to fi ll the wage reduction gap for both labor and capital. Research fi nds that there are differences in the legal composition of social insurance, social assistance, and social compensation, and there are benefi cial experiences in effectively allocating different social security measures in comparative law to achieve stable employment goals. The study suggests that China should break through the thinking of responding to wage risks with single social insurance or social compensation means, and adopt a legal model of wage risk sharing with a focus on social insurance supplemented by social assistance and social compensation. Based on whether the worker is insured or not, the priority should be given to using the social insurance fund to fi ll the wage reduction gap of those insured workers, and the lowincome nonparticipants should be assisted through social assistance funds. In addition, when government administrative actions affect risk-sharing, social compensation funds should serve as a safety net.

Author:WANG Yang

Key words:college graduates; human capital allocation; human capital mismatch index; youth population; employment diffi culties

Abstract:The human resources of young people with higher education are scarce resources. Optimizing the allocation of human resources for college graduates can improve the overall effi ciency of human resource allocation, which in turn contributes to the dual improvement of development quality and effi ciency. Using panel data published by institutions, such as the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Population Statistics Yearbook, this study employs the Aoki Model to calculate the human capital mismatch value in each province from 2006 to 2022. The study fi nds that there are varying degrees of ineffi cient human resources allocation in the eastern, central, western, and northeastern regions, whilst the human capital mismatch situation also varies accordingly. To address the imbalance between regional supply and demand of human resources and improve the effi ciency of human capital allocation, it is suggested in the study that measures such as adjusting the industrial structure, expanding employment opportunities in the central and western regions, and increasing policy guidance and incentives should be adopted to encourage more college graduates to work in the central and western regions and at the grassroots level.

Author:GUAN Lening XU Qingyuan

Key words:AI; labor relations; new technological revolution; human-machine ethics; new employment

Abstract:The new technological revolution led by artifi cial intelligence (AI) and other technologies have widely affected the productive forces and production relations of society. This requires a profound understanding of the development laws of AI and the establishment of labor relations that are compatible with technological changes and productive forces. Based on the theory of the three factors of production (labor, labor materials, and labor objects), this study examines the changes in the productive forces in the era of AI, analyzes the new changes in relationships between labor and machines, labor and labor, labor and capital, and government and society, as well as the duality of these innovations, and fi nally proposes governance recommendations. The study claims that in order to build harmonious labor relations in the era of AI, it is necessary to consider both development and security, promote the establishment of harmonious and mutually benefi cial human-machine relationships; establish harmonious and friendly labor-capital relations based on tool rationality and value rationality; improve the organizational protection network based on the goal of promoting employment fl exibility and stability; optimize government regulatory methods based on the principle of balancing capital and labor interests, and promote the establishment of more harmonious and inclusive labor relations that adapt themselves to the trend of new technological revolution.

Author:XIE Pan MA Jing

Key words:labor transfer; effective structural change; TFP growth; robot application

Abstract:Improving Total Factor Productivity (TFP) is an inevitable requirement for achieving high-quality economic development. This study, selecting panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2019 and employing the Effective Structure Change Index to measure the efficiency-enhancing inter-industry labor transfer, investigates the impact of labor transfer on TFP growth and its mechanism of action. The research fi nds that the positive effect of effective structural change of labor transfer on the growth of TFP shows a pattern of fi rst increasing and then decreasing. Heterogeneity analysis shows that compared with provinces with low levels of robot application, the promotion effect of the effective structural change index of labor transfer on the growth of TFP is stronger in provinces with high levels of robot application. Moreover, the increase in the index of effective structural change of labor has a positive impact on the TFP growth of conventional tasks and competitive industries, while having a reverse effect on unconventional tasks and monopolistic industries. To promote the effi cient and orderly fl ow of labor elements, the study suggests that it is necessary to build a "Talent Pool" competent in different types of tasks, establish a collaborative innovation system between robot production, education, and research institutions to promote balanced and intelligent industrial development between regions, and improve anti-monopoly laws and regulations in the digital economy era to better take advantage of the important role of new-generation information technology in empowering the transformation and upgrading of competitive industries.

Author:FANG Lingxuan WEI Xiang DING Xueyi

Key words:party-building activities; human capital; corporate performance; leisure time

Abstract:In the new stage of high-quality economic development, considerable studies have been conducted on the positive effects of party-building activities on economic entities. However, the mechanism and path transmission of the positive economic effects of party-building activities are still subject to controversy and exploration. This study, based on a new human capital framework, analyzes the mechanism of the impact of party-building activities on economic performance through the allocation of leisure time. The study fi nds that party-building activities within enterprises signifi cantly enhance employees' job performance, and this conclusion still holds after conducting endogenous tests by constructing a "virtual friend circle". Further analysis reveals that party-building activities primarily enhance employees' non-cognitive abilities within leisure time allocation, specifically improving their conscientiousness and agreeableness, thereby enhancing their job performance. This study, thus, provides positive evidence and a basis for decision-making on how party-building activities can enhance the human capital and improve corporate performance in the context of China's national conditions.