“Some of the blows almost made me lose the courage to live life. It is the trade union that helps me and gives me warmth,” said Chen Lixia, a laid-off worker and single mother, to leaders of the trade union who came to visit her.

Recently, leaders of the trade union went into the workshop and communicated with workers to understand their state of mind, income situation, occupational security and health stations. In houses of needy workers, trade union leaders talked and asked about detailed living conditions of the needy workers. They encouraged them to study new skills and attend training classese to gain new knowledge for the purpose of overcoming difficulties and reentering employment. Yao Junzhu, the chairman of the trade union of Ruzhou city, said that serving needy workers will be their work focus in 2012 across the city. The trade union will visit and inquiry needy workers, especially those between the age of 30 to 40 who have living difficulties. The trade union will also hold skill training classes for laid-off and peasant workers to help them get jobs again.