Chinese Supermarket Founder Draws Criticism Over Four-Year Hiring Proposal
Yu Donglai, founder of Chinese supermarket chain Pangdonglai, has faced public criticism after proposing four-year contracts for future recruits under a training initiative, without renewal. The proposal contrasts with his reputation for employee-friendly policies, including reported average after-tax monthly pay of 9,000 yuan for 8,000 workers.
Yu Donglai, the founder of Chinese supermarket chain Pangdonglai, has faced rare public criticism over a proposal to limit contracts for new employees to four years. According to the South China Morning Post, the proposed agreements would be framed as a “training initiative” and would not be renewed after the four-year period. The plan has triggered controversy because of Yu’s reputation for introducing unusually employee-friendly policies.
Pangdonglai was founded in Henan province in 1995. Yu has been nationally recognised for rules he established at the retailer, which he has described as designed with workers’ welfare in mind. The source said Yu had previously stated that the company’s 8,000 employees earned average after-tax monthly salaries of 9,000 yuan.
The supplied material does not explain the proposed contracts’ precise terms, the company’s justification or the scale of the public backlash. It also does not say whether Pangdonglai has altered or withdrawn the proposal.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.