View

Spare a thought for unlucky workers

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-18 07:54

Hundreds of millions of people travel back home for family reunion during Spring Festival. But some grassroots people cannot afford to buy a train or bus ticket. The government should take steps to compensate such people for not being able to meet their families on the important occasion, says an article on Xinhuanet. Excerpts:

A couple surnamed Xiong left Chongqing to work in Shanghai 22 years ago. They used to take a ferry from Shanghai to Chongqing to return home for the lunar new year.

But the cancellation of the ferry service between the two municipalities in 1998 has interrupted their yearly family reunion because they cannot afford to pay the high price of train tickets.

They have returned home for Spring Festival only once in the past 12 years. No wonder, when their son visited them two years ago, they could hardly recognize him.

Such voiceless grief is buried deep inside the hearts of hundreds of millions of migrant workers. The humble wages they earn in cities can barely sustain them.

Some of them cannot even think of booking a train ticket to travel back home for Spring Festival. Even if they have the money for a ticket, many prefer to save it for future needs.

Hence, people who can afford to travel back home for family reunion should be sympathetic toward their fellow citizens struggling in poverty. Lifting millions of people out of poverty is not an easy task and can take years to accomplish.

But for now, the lucky ones should try to make migrant workers' life easier with gifts and greetings.