Submerged discontent and institutions: doctors’ pay in Chinese hospitals.

The paper evaluates doctors’ widespread pay-related discontent, and doctors’ response through formal and informal action. In a context of authoritarian management and compliant trade unions, Chinese doctors can only have individual, subtle and informal confrontation. Meanwhile the doctors’ professional society is expanding its influence, showing a desire to develop doctors’ group identity and protect members’ interests more effectively. The research findings have wider implications for the conceptualization of skilled workers’ professional organizations, which may develop as important new actors in the Chinese industrial relations system.