China will conduct a nationwide inspection to find if the
migrant workers' wages are paid on time.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security said the inspection
will begin Dec. 1 and end Feb. 1, 2005. The inspection is designed
according to a circular jointly issued by the Ministry of Labor and
Social Security, the Ministry of Construction and the All-China
Federation of Trade Unions.
"The problem of defaulting on migrant workers' wage payment
should be handled seriously," said the circular, promising to
establish a special governmental work mechanism.
"The employers who intentionally embezzle migrant workers' wages
should be punished according to their concrete cases and the evil
ones will be exposed to the public via the media," said the
circular, calling to collect and promote helpful experiences.
"Legal education and other channel should be introduced to
migrant workers' law awareness so that they would choose the right
way to protect themselves when their rights are infringed," it
said.
About 100 million migrant workers from the countryside have
moved to cities to find work. Most of them do not join trade
unions.
(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2004)