China's trade unions have appropriated 26.4 billion yuan (about
3.6 billion U.S. dollars) of charity funds to help 71 million poor
workers' families since its "Sending Warmth" program was launched
in 1992.
An official with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions
(ACFTU), the country's top level trade union, disclosed the figures
at an international forum on economic globalization and trade
unions which was concluded in Beijing Tuesday.
Launched by the ACFTU 16 years ago, the charity program aims to
give care and material support to poor workers.
In the past 16 years, trade unions at various levels have
visited 1.14 million enterprises with financial difficulties and
have lifted about 4.45 million poor workers' families out of
poverty, the official said.
A nation-wide assistance network for poor workers has come into
place, with assistance centers for poor workers covering 100
percent prefectures and 80 percent counties, according to the
official.
"The network provides a strong backup for maintaining workers'
lawful rights and for ensuring a more equal sharing of the fruit of
economic and social development in the country," the official
said.
Separately, the "golden autumn scholarship" program, with active
participation of the trade unions at all levels, has raised 2.7
billion yuan and aided 3.38 million children from poor workers'
families to go to school.
China has the most giant trade union organizations in the world,
with about 193 million members in more than 1.5 million grassroots
trade unions.
(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2008)