About 35 percent of Chinese migrant construction workers have
joined trade unions, a step forward toward securing migrant
workers' rights, according to Li Changchun, a spokesman for the All-China Federation of
Trade Unions.
Of the 40 million migrant construction workers in China, about
30 percent or more than 11 million, have joined the local trade
unions, Li said.
"The migrant workers are less educated and therefore their
rights are more easily infringed upon," he said.
"As members of trade unions, migrant workers can better protect
their rights such as ensuring that they get paid on time, and are
covered by work safety insurance," Li added.
(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2005)