BEIJING—Police in the southern province of Guangdong have detained seven labor activists, including three leading members of China’s nascent grassroots labor movement, on charges they improperly intervened in labor disputes, the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday.
The report came nearly three weeks after Zeng Feiyang, Meng Han, Peng Jiayong and other activists were taken away. Xinhua confirmed the detention of seven of them, who reportedly have been denied access to lawyers.
Their detentions and the accusatory article in the state news agency are part of a crackdown on labor activism, which has been growing as labor disputes increase amid an economic slowdown.
The Hong Kong-based China Labor Bulletin reported 2,606 labor disputes this year, up from last year’s 1,379. In November, the organization recorded 301 labor incidents, the highest monthly total this year.
The labor groups are independent of the official All-China Federation of Trade Unions, which has been accused of failing to protect workers’ rights.
Grassroots labor activists have gained popularity with migrant workers and have offered them many services, including legal aid.
