The commitment made by Premier Wen
Jiabao in his government work report delivered on Sunday that
the problems of migrant workers would draw more attention has been
met with optimism.
"The fact that Premier Wen mentioned us farmer-turned workers
time and again in his government work report proves that we migrant
workers are getting more and more attention from the central
government," said Zhang Huaiping, a migrant worker.
Zhang, 37, a farmer from Sancha Township of Jianyang City,
southwest China's
Sichuan Province, on Tuesday haunted the job markets in
Chengdu, the provincial capital, in hope of finding a new job.
Before the traditional Spring Festival this year, which fell on
Jan 29, Zhang used to work as a cashier at restaurant, but the
employer was so slow in giving him his salary that he quit the job
after having taken his salary of 700 yuan directly from the
cashier's machine.
Zhang lived as a migrant worker for 13 years after he bade
farewell to farming. He complained of having been cheated by the
employers many times in those years.
"What saddens me most is that employers are not trustworthy and
often disrespect us," said Zhang.
Migrant workers, numbered at about 130 million according to the
Ministry of Labor and Social Security, have provided the cheap
labor critical to China's rapid development.
However, migrant workers are biased against in many respects and
have in fact become a marginalized group in cities.
While addressing the opening of the on-going Fourth Session of
the 10th National People's Congress (NPC)
on Sunday morning, Premier Wen reiterated the commitments of the
central Chinese government in making greater efforts to help solve
a range of problems for migrant workers, including social security,
education of their children and delayed payment of salaries.
Su Shicai, a farmer from Chongqing, an important industrial city
on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, took special interest in
the premier's promise to help kids from low-income families
complete compulsory education.
Su, who works a transient worker in Guangzhou, capital of south
China's
Guangdong Province, hasn't returned home for two years because
of high expenses needed for a journey back home. His son, aged 9,
who has been left behind in his rural hometown for schooling, is
his biggest concern.
"Without an urban household registration, we have to pay an
extra lump sum of money if I bring along my son to Guangzhou and
send him to schools in Guangzhou, it is unfair," said Su.
Ren Junru, principal of a garment vocational school in Jieshou
City, east China's
Anhui Province, carefully studied Premier Wen's government work
report from a newspaper.
He was very excited over Wen's commitment to the training and
employment of migrant workers.
"Improved training of migrant workers with practical work skills
will not only help farmer-turned workers gain privileges on the job
market, but also help turn the huge rural population burden into an
advantage of human resources," said Ren.
Ren, who is in his early 30s, is a native of Renlou Village of
Tianying Town, Jieshou City. He worked as a transient worker with a
garment-making mill in Dongguan City, south China's Guangdong
Province, in 1999. On his return, he started up a vocational school
where farmers are trained with skills for making garments.
"I believe that the implementation of Premier Wen's promises at
the grassroots will be the key to success," said Ren.
(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2006)