It is worrying that the income growth and social welfare coverage of migrant workers risks being affected by the economic downturn and the lack of workable measures to guarantee their rights and interests.

There are 262.61 million migrant workers, according to a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics, and the sheer number requires that policymakers pay attention to their well-being.

The global economic cooldown, which has battered China's manufacturing industry, has slowed the growth in incomes of migrant workers. Their average monthly salary only increased by 11.8 percent year-on-year in 2012, down 9.4 percentage points on the year before.

The fall is much steeper than that of resident workers in urban enterprises, according to the survey. The income growth of migrant workers used to be faster than other workers and the recent trend indicates that the current economic woes have had a more serious impact on this group.

The survey also shows that most migrant workers are not covered with social security protection. Only 45.43 million, for example, are covered by pension insurance, while the remainder are either participating in low-level rural pension programs or lacking any insurance at all. Moreover, more than half of the migrant workers are unable to secure labor contracts with their employers. And only a small proportion of their employers have bought labor-related insurance for them.

Migrant workers have long been in the spotlight because of their poor working conditions, low pay and inadequate insurance coverage. This latest survey shows that we need to make renewed efforts to improve their situation.

To make substantial headway, migrant workers must be allowed to have a greater voice in protecting their legitimate interests. The law enforcement departments must also pay more attention to infringements on their rights. China has some laws and regulations in place that are supposed to protect the rights and interests of migrant workers, but unfortunately they are yet to be strictly implemented.

Many of the problems facing migrant workers, meanwhile, are related to the hukou, the permanent registered residence system. Since most migrant workers do not have a hukou in the cities where they work, they do not have access to many of the benefits urban residents enjoy. The nation needs to map out a timetable for the reform of the hukou system as soon as possible.

(China Daily USA 05/29/2013 page11)