Editorials

Dark days for laborers

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-04 07:58

More than 14,000 workers were diagnosed with pneumoconiosis, or black lung disease, last year, according to the Ministry of Health. That accounts for 80 percent of new occupational disease cases in 2009.

The glaring statistics indicate that the government has been ineffective in improving work conditions, protecting laborers and educating them about the hazards of industrial labor.

Clearly, more effort is needed on the part of the government to help our laborers. Poor working conditions and a lack of workers' rights have been a problem for a long time.

Many labor-intensive enterprises - such as coal mines, metal alloy manufacturers and metallurgical factories - are devoid of safe working conditions. They ignore labor protection measures to cut down costs. And these workers are mostly from poor rural areas and are unaware of the dangers of contracting occupational diseases.

When a migrant worker last year cut his chest open to prove that he was indeed suffering from pneumoconiosis, it put a spotlight on the plight of all workers.

The government is indeed aware of the problems facing workers but if it doesn't provide any protection for these laborers, employers won't feel the need to compensate them.

The government must press its supervision of industries to make sure that working conditions improve and workers are adequately protected from hazards.

Last but not least, workers need to educate themselves - with the government's help - about occupational diseases. Laborers need to protect themselves.

(China Daily 05/04/2010 page8)