One in four migrant workers in Shanghai, China's economic
powerhouse, has joined a trade union.
A total of 1.01 million out of over 4 million migrant workers
are now union members, according to a Shanghai trade union forum on
Wednesday.
"Migrant workers are often on the move and not good at
safeguarding their own rights and interests, they need more
protection from trade unions," said Chen Hao, chairman of the
Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions.
In Shanghai Corp. of Shipbuilding Industry, the trade union
helped more than 9,000 migrant workers sign contracts with the
company, supervised and urged the company to pay salaries in time
and assisted workers in dealing with job disputes.
"We saw a film the day we joined the trade union, I feel very
glad that the union cares about us. Now I can turn to it for help
if we are in trouble," said construction worker Peng Deyin from
Chongqing, southwest China.
Every year millions of migrant workers flock from villages to
cities in search of jobs.
(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2005)