At the January State Council meeting, Chinese Premier Li Qiang vowed to ensure fair wages for migrant workers and punish employers who fail to pay. Yet, as the Lunar New Year approaches, a wave of desperate protests has emerged, with at least 16 cases of workers threatening to jump off buildings in Guangdong, Sichuan, Henan, and Gansu in January alone.
China’s Migrant Workers: Underpaid, Unprotected, and Exploited
China has about 300 million migrant workers, accounting for 20% of the population. These workers, who have little education, are forced to leave their villages and work in low-wage urban jobs to survive, but they are denied basic social benefits due to China’s strict household registration system.
While government figures state that the migrant workers’ average monthly income in 2023 was RMB 4,780, the reality is somewhat different.
Earlier this month, Chinese news outlets NetEase and Yicai aired documentaries exposing the harsh conditions that migrant workers face. The documentaries revealed thousands of people arriving at labour markets as early as 4 a.m., desperate for jobs. Their pay was slashed from RMB 200 to 150, and many were replaced last minute by others willing to work for even less. One worker, captured on camera, said helplessly, “Filming this is humiliating. Waiting for work like this is no different from begging.”
Jumping Off Buildings: A Last Resort to Demand Wages
According to Radio France Internationale (RFI), several wage protests took place in early January:
🔴 Jan 4 – Workers in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, climbed onto a government building rooftop demanding wages.
🔴 Jan 7 – Workers in Yibin, Sichuan, sat on a window ledge in freezing temperatures to protest unpaid wages.
🔴 Jan 8 – At least five workers in Gansu stood on a rooftop threatening to jump.
🔴 Jan 9 – Workers in Zhengzhou, Henan, protested on the top of entrance canopy of a construction company office.
🔴 Jan 10 – Workers in Xi’an, Shaanxi, stood at the edge of a hotel rooftop, threatening to jump
Experts say threatening suicide has become a typical last resort because traditional protests, such as gathering outside company offices, are often ignored or suppressed. By climbing onto rooftops, workers force police and firefighters to intervene, increasing their chances of getting paid.
Crackdowns Rather Than Solutions: “Illegal Protests” Punished
Instead of addressing the problem, China’s government is cracking down on wage protests. In Sichuan, a 2021 law declared holding banners, blocking roads, climbing buildings, and interrupting business operations as “illegal wage protests.”
Migrant workers who violate China’s Public Security Administration Law can face:
⚠ 5-15 days of detention
⚠ Fines of RMB 500-1,000
What’s Next? A Bleak Future for China’s Migrant Workers
In China, there is a saying that: “If the people do not complain, the government will not act. If people complain against the government, they will go to jail.” With China’s economy weakening, real estate collapsing, and local governments drowning in debt, migrant workers—the backbone of China’s labour force—will bear the brunt of the crisis.
Photo credit:https://x.com/YesterdayBigcat