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Probe raises key questions

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-09-22 07:40

The fact that a migrant worker went undercover to collect information about an employer's illegal activities demonstrates that more attention should be paid to their rights and interests, says an article in China Youth Daily. The following is an excerpt:

Migrant worker Huang Weimu attracted a great deal of attention recently for covertly collecting information about a clothing factory owner's violation of labor laws.

Some people did not support his action, while others thought highly of him, saying that it indicated a greater awareness among migrant workers of their rights. Some even compared him to Wang Hai, who famously disclosed information about fake goods in the 1990s. Yet more people still wondered why Huang went undercover and whether he did it just to seek publicity.

Discussion of this issue seems to center on the details of Huang's undercover activity, and has shown no interest in the facts he revealed, such as the failure to sign contracts with employees, refusal to purchase social security insurance, lower-than-standard salaries and unpaid overtime work. The reason is probably because the violation of employees' rights is commonplace in China and cannot make headlines.

This incident raises two important questions: First, local government departments should have been more aware of these violations than a migrant worker, so why did they only take action after Huang reported the unlawful deeds? Second, why do employees who have suffered such violations choose to keep silent instead of protecting their rights with legal weapons?

Acting in such a covert manner is not a normal way to solve this problem and will not root it out fundamentally. Only by developing a mature legal system and enhancing the government's sense of governing for the people can violations of employees' rights be tackled.

(China Daily 09/22/2008 page4)