Chinese workers reveal hours online as backlash to 996 grows


The Ant Group Co mascot at the company’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China. As of Oct 14, the spreadsheet had more than 4,000 entries, including contributions from within tech giants like Tencent Holdings Ltd, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and ByteDance Ltd. — Bloomberg

A group of private sector employees in China have begun an online campaign to gather their working hours in a protest against the excessive work culture in the country.

The so-called Worker Lives Matter campaign is asking employees in various industries like technology and finance to share what time they start and end their workday as well as how many days they work per week. As of Oct 14, the spreadsheet had more than 4,000 entries, including contributions from within tech giants like Tencent Holdings Ltd, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and ByteDance Ltd.

Unlock 30% Savings on Ad-Free Access Now!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM9.73 only

Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month
RM8.63/month

Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters.

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
996 , labour rights , worker rights

Others Also Read


Want to listen to full audio?

Unlock unlimited access to enjoy personalise features on the TheStar.com.my

Already a member? Log In