Migrant worker deputies: Focus of 3,000 deputies

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Source: CCTV.com | 03-03-2008 13:07

For the first time, three migrant workers have been elected as deputies to the National People's Congress. Together, they represent the 200 million migrant workers in China.

Zhu Xueqin is from Jiangsu province, Kang Houming from the municipality of Chongqing and Hu Xiaoyan from Guangdong province.

They are the first migrant workers to have been elected deputies to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

And they will be the focus of almost 3,000 deputies.

31 year-old Zhu works in a clothing company. She started out sewing garments and is now deputy chief of the workers' union.

Migrant worker deputy Zhu Xueqin said, "I am the representative of 4 million migrant workers in Shanghai. I feel a lot of pressure to do well and I will certainly do my best."

Zhu was elected to the post a month ago.

She spent all her free time collecting requests and suggestions from fellow migrant workers.And she also conducted surveys.

Zhu Xueqin said, "We've held at least ten meetings to discuss the problems of restaurant staff and construction and factory workers."

Since her election to be an NPC deputy, Zhu has received numerous requests from other migrant workers, who want her to help solve their problems.

She is aiming for a paid holiday system so migrant workers can decide for themselves when they go back home to see their families. And she is also calling for maternity insurance for the migrants.

China's workers from rural areas are estimated to number around 200 million. And these migrants have become a pillar of the country's work force.

In March last year, the NPC annual session approved a draft resolution on legislative elections.

The draft stipulated that provinces and municipalities with a large population of rural migrant workers should have a quota for NPC deputies.

Editor:Zhang Ning