China investors grapple with wage rise

US lawnmower manufacturer Briggs & Stratton is used to worrying about turnover.

US lawnmower manufacturer Briggs & Stratton is used to worrying about turnover.

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Like many foreign investors in China, the Milwaukee-based firm has been hit by a steady rise in wages -which puts it in the same boat as many US businesses in China responding to a survey released on Monday by the American Chamber of Commerce. Foreign employers such as Briggs & Stratton face a shortage of experienced, English-speaking engineers and managers, and find it expensive to recruit and retain good staff.

Rather than waiting around for extra digits on their paychecks, China's white collar workers are creating their own pay raises by jumping ship at the slightest temptation.