Migrant Workers, a Blessing or a Curse?

Since the reform and opening up, China’s economy has developed rapidly and the construction of cities has become faster and faster. Many people have made great contributions to the urban construction and the majority is migrant workers. They are participants and builders of the new industrialization and urbanization. In my opinion, migrant workers are a definite blessing for the society.

Indeed, as the cheap labor with a large number, they play an important role in the construction of cities in China today. When migrant workers settle down in the city, they leave solid footprints in every corner of the city and the most important thing is, they also bring back the long-lost spirit of enduring hardship to the city. They are almost everywhere: construction, transportation, trade, service and industry. Roads can’t be repaired without them, and the planting and protecting of trees and flowers depend on them.

Besides, migrant workers have become the main force to transform rural poverty in China. In the process of getting out of poverty, migrant workers are a true self-rescue team. At present, there are more than two hundred million migrant workers turning to non-agricultural industries and urban employment, changing the single rural employment structure. The growth of migrant workers has greatly reduced the pressure on population growth and promoted the improvement of family planning in rural areas. They brought new ideas of urban life, new norms in market economy back to the countryside and had much influence on other people. It has made great contributions to the development of the countryside and the development of the next generation.

However, while the contemporary “migrant workers” have made great contributions to the country’s socialist modernization, they have not received the real respect of the whole society. Their wages are usually much lower than the equal wages. They are required to work longer than regulated hours a day with no additional payment. Some urban citizens feel superior to migrant workers and always discriminate them. The education of migrant workers’ children also faces many difficulties. They have to pay a “temporary schooling fee” for their children’s education. Many children of migrant workers drop out of school because they can’t afford the fee.

On the whole, migrant workers have become an important part of our socialist builders. The government should work out new policies to protect migrant workers’ rights and interests. And for us, we should give full respect to these hard-working workers and show gratitude to them.