Vice-premier eyes migrant workers’ wage arrears

Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua called for greater results on the fundamental solution to the problem of wage arrears for migrant workers and urged ensuring their employment and entrepreneurship and better public services for them.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a teleconference on the work of migrant workers in Beijing on Dec 13.

Hu pointed out that seeking a fundamental solution to migrant workers' wage arrears is one of the major tasks of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Efforts should be made to solve the problem by rule of law through the opportunity of introducing regulations on ensuring wage payment to migrant workers, he said, adding that the project construction section is the major area and defaults should be cleared up intensively before the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The full coverage of the guarantee system on wage payment should be set up faster, and law enforcement inspection should be carried out strictly, he said.

The vice-premier urged increasing support to enterprises for stable employment of migrant workers, providing support for migrant workers to go home to start businesses, and strengthening vocational skill training for them.

Employment services should also be offered for unemployed migrant workers in a timely manner, he added.

Hukou restrictions should be further loosened, and education of migrant workers' children should be solved with a high focus. Social insurance and medical treatment should also be further improved for migrant workers, said the vice-premier.