Trade unions help migrant workers survive crisis

Fang Wenben of rural Meizhou, Guangdong province, said he felt very lucky compared with mass migrant workers in China, who have to return home or idle in the cities with gloomy prospects for finding work.

Fang, 28, worked at a construction site for a commercial property project in Guangzhou during 2007-08; now he works at a hospital renovation project in Shenzhen for the same company.

"Thanks to the Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions, I can keep my job," said Fang, who is the only breadwinner for a six-person family that consists of his parents, he and his wife and two kids.

When the Guangzhou project finished, Fang and 50-plus other migrant workers asked for help from the local federation of trade unions. The federation negotiated with the construction company, which agreed to move those laborers to its construction site in Shenzhen.

"Though the salary has dropped by around 15 percent, the work is not as busy and hard as before. I am satisfied that I can keep my 'rice bowl' to raise my family," said Fang.

The global economic downturn, which has forced many factories and businesses to close or reduce projects, has driven more than 20 million migrant workers out of employment in China, according to statistics from All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU).

"We are attaching close attention to problems of workers brought by global financial crisis and trying to formulate coping measures in time," Xu Zhenhuan, vice chairman of ACFTU, was quoted by Philanthropic Times as saying.

The measures involve urging State-owned enterprises to shoulder social responsibilities, ensuring that companies, especially those closing down, provide full, timely payment to migrant workers, and strengthening vocational training for unemployed laborers.

The federation announced an extension of aid to more than 10 million migrant workers this year in February.

ACFTU said it aimed to cover about five million migrant workers with job training, and would help the other five million pursue their legal rights or offer them living assistance.

Helping migrants

The federation used to only organize workers with urban residence permits, but is now giving more attention to recruiting and helping migrants.

According to Sun Chunlan, the ACFTU deputy chairperson, trade unions in 10 big cities would vouch for migrant workers, on a pilot basis, to secure small loans for migrants, and the federation would also work closely with government human resources departments, enterprises, and social groups to organize various job fairs.

Some private enterprises have actively responded to ACFTU's call to take their social responsibilities seriously.

Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products Development Co Ltd recently announced a donation of 1 million yuan to support training for returned migrant workers in Guangdong. The privately owned enterprise said it also had 3,000 jobs to offer.

Cai Jie of Kai county of Chongqing municipality has been working as a production line worker for a telecom communication company in Tianjin, and returned home during the Spring Festival when his employer reduced production. He immediately received a Returned Migrant Worker Job Assistance Card from the local government, which illustrates related preferential policies and free training information.

He has attended the charge-free mobile phone repair and maintenance training jointly provided by local trade union and some mobile phone enterprises. "It's useful and practical, and if I can get the micro loan, I will open a cell phone repair shop in my hometown," said the 25-year-old.

ACFTU expected that an additional five million migrant workers this year will join the federation, bringing its membership to over 71 million by the end of 2009.

"It's necessary to introduce migrant workers into trade unions," said China National School Professor Wang Wei. "We should study how to use efficient ways to organize them, increase their rights protection awareness and help them protect their interest actively and effectively."

Education

The professor stressed that education for migrant workers is crucial, as their awareness will help trade unions enhance supervision of employers.

Sources from ACFTU revealed that it has strengthened efforts to aid enterprises affected greatly by the financial turmoil and their employees. ACFTU and trade unions at various levels have raised 3.32 billion yuan during the New Year and Spring Festival holidays to subsidize employees of the stagnant enterprises.

Over the same period, the central and local unions have helped over 430,000 migrant workers to receive 1.09 billion yuan in back pay.

(China Daily 03/16/2009 page10)