Only 7.6 percent of migrant workers in China are satisfied with
their social status, according to a survey carried out by
Shanghai's Fudan University.
The survey, which questioned 30,000 migrant workers in major
Chinese cities, found 68 percent of migrant workers believed
urbanites did not fully accept them or accept them at all.
The report also showed that working overtime was common for
migrant workers - more than 80 percent worked more than eight hours
a day and 18 percent worked more than ten hours.
Only 16.4 percent of migrant workers had more than five days a
month off and 55 percent had less than two days off a month, it
said.
Working overtime with little holiday made migrant workers tired
so accidents easily occur, it said. Exhaustion prevented them from
having time to study thus few opportunities were available, it
added.
All these factors made migrant workers unsatisfied with their
urban life, it concluded.
The report also revealed that China's migrant workers' incomes
rose in 2007.
Their average monthly wage reached 1,200 yuan (165 U.S. dollars)
in 2007, up 200 yuan over the previous year, said the report.
But still 22.2 percent of migrant workers were unable to save
money as their incomes were only just enough to cover their living
expenses.
About 44.6 percent migrant workers hoped to continue to work in
cities and 17 percent hoped to find jobs in Beijing or its
surrounding areas, it said.
China has about 200 million migrant workers across the
country.
(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2008)