REPORTS

Shenzhen Government Disregards Migrant Worker’s Rights

By: Yang Chen,

Mr. Yang Chen recently completed a report of immigrant workers in Shenzhen, the southern industrial city that accommodates millions of immigrant workers from all over China. As one of the most modernized and wealthiest city, the Shenzhen government has not abided by Chinese laws that require local governments to have appropriate policy toward immigrant workers, who constitute the primary labor force of Shenzhen's fast-growing economy. Those immigrant workers, due to the government’s policy to prevent imbalanced development between countries and cities, cannot enjoy benefits that are offered specifically to city residents. Not only do they make meager wages, but they pay various higher fees. For example, immigrant workers' children have to pay more to receive mandatory school education. Their living conditions are much worse than those who have legal residency in cities.

Yang Chen, the author points out that the Shenzhen government simply ignores Chinese laws that were recently amended to protect basic labor rights of those immigrant workers.

More information in Chinese: Facing Internal Immigrant Workers: Shenzhen Government Lacks Political Responsibility