Labour unions can do more to protect the interests of migrant workers, says a signed article in Beijing Youth Daily. An excerpt follows:

Recently the municipal federation of labour unions of Southwest China's Chongqing arranged a five-day holiday for 50 migrant workers from the city's coal-mining, metallurgical, construction and shoe-manufacturing sectors.

While enjoying a full rest in a comfortable health retreat, the 50 lucky workers were still paid by their employers.

This is the first case nationwide in which migrant workers have been privileged enough to have a holiday while being paid.

Some have criticized the move of the federation as one designed to deliberately attract people's attention. They argue that more tangible and effective measures should be adopted to care for the work and lives of migrant workers and to protect their fundamental interests, such as to help improve their treatment and to solve the issue of education for their children.

This is purely a holiday arrangement for migrant workers. Thus it should not be deemed to carry the bigger goal of fundamentally solving their difficulties.

All the expenses spent on the five-day holiday are not enough to substantially raise their payment, solve their medical hardship or other problems.

Arranging a holiday for employees does not go against other measures taken by trade unions to help solve the difficulties of migrant workers.

According to the country's labour union law, labour unions are organizations of all labourers and migrant workers are entitled to be helped by these unions when necessary.

More and more migrant workers have been flowing into cities to make a living in recent years. They have become an important component of industrial forces.

However, some local labour unions have remained passive in safeguarding their legal rights and interests and some even exclude migrant workers from their membership.

In a television conference held by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions during the New Year holidays, labour unions at various levels were urged to help solve the difficulties of migrant workers  both at work and in their daily lives.

In this context, the federation of Chongqing's labour union has set a good example for its counterparts.