Shenzhen police sent six teams of policemen to other parts of
China to hunt for company bosses who have intentionally defaulted
on employee salaries, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily
reported yesterday.
The policemen have arrested one suspect so far, the paper said,
but did not provide any details. Some business owners are believed
to have fled the city after defaulting on large amounts of
salaries.
This follows last week's eight high-profile detentions of people
who were charged with deliberately withholding 7 million yuan
(US$867,000) in the wages of 1,200 workers. It is believed to be
the first time in China business employers were detained for
defaulting on wages.
Migrant workers in the city hailed the detentions, saying the
move would help ensure workers receive their pay, the paper
said.
Shenzhen officials have vowed to continue cracking down on
employers who default on wages in a bid to ensure all workers get
their due pay prior to the Spring Festival, when most migrants are
expected to return home for family reunions. Most migrants are the
bread-earners of their families.
Salary defaults have forced some workers to take extreme
actions, threatening social stability.
(Shenzhen Daily January 18, 2006)
