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Migrants: Give us some respect
By Xu Wenwen |
June 30, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
DISCRIMINATION and exclusion are major problems for migrant workers, especially poor farm workers who toil in big cities. But one migrant who arrived in Hangzhou four years ago set up the self-help Grassroots Family to help others.
"We won't accept labels like 'pathetic' and 'poor'," says the founder, 34-year-old Xu Wencai from Jiangxi Province, whose "family" now has more than 300 members from across China. They work in various jobs, but mostly manual labor.
The organization, located in a small rented house, isn't only a place for meals, parties and learning about workers' legal rights. "Our biggest goal is to change city people's attitude toward and their concept of out-of-town workers," says Xu.
Migrants often struggle to survive. They're easy to spot: they don't speak local dialect; they do manual labor or simple work; they don't have much education and their clothes are simple or shabby.
They may be bullied or exploited by local bosses and others. News about their problems is not rare.
Last year, a worker in Henan Province underwent a chest operation to prove to his employer he had a work-related ailment after his boss refused compensation. This year, the treatment of migrants at Foxconn in Guangdong Province led to attempted suicides.
Four years ago Xu himself was working in a fashion factory.
"Who says we can't someday buy fashionable clothes costing hundreds of yuan? Who says we can't get better paying jobs? And why can't we do whatever local people can do," he asks.
"Because we do not get respect - that's why," says Xu. "I want migrants to know that they should respect themselves first and then they can get respect from others.
Xu quit his job, studied Webpage design and set up his own site, www.hzcgzj.com, in July 2006.
"It's not to protect migrant workers' rights after they get bullied. Instead, it aims first to cultivate an awareness of their legal rights to keep bullies away and then to enrich their lives and spare time and avoid negative emotions," says Xu.
Xu's slogan is "mutual aid and self-improvement" and the organization collected supporters and expanded. In 2008 Xu and four other key figures collected funds and rented a 100-square-meter house that includes a small reading room, computer room and movie room with a projector.
"Most of migrant workers' spare time is very boring: watching TV, playing cards and Internet games," says Liu Heng, an administrator of Grassroots Family. "So various activities, strong personal contact and support help improve their self-esteem and enrich their life."
Xu's main job, in adding to Grassroots Family leader, is raising funds for the family magazine, hiring administrators and paying rent and utilities.
The Family is divided into six groups with specific tasks: talent shows, magazine work, public affairs, promoting legal knowledge, organizing sports and protecting the rights of women in factories.
Over four years people have found friendship, a sense of belonging and greater self-confidence. One man even owes his life to Grassroots Family.
Huang Genlin from Anhui Province was diagnosed with uremia, kidney failure, last September. He had no relatives who could help and little money, so he refused expensive treatment and secluded himself. On hearing the news, the Grassroots Family held a charity performance and sale, eventually raising 100,000 yuan (US$14,708) and saving Huang's life.
News of the Grassroots Family has spread, inspiring other groups and migrant performers.
Several factory owners have consulted Xu on how to improve their staff's attitude.
"It's a great step that this organization is influencing people and I truly think I'm accomplishing a mission impossible," says Xu.
Two weeks ago, Grasroots Family was absorbed into the Hangzhou Federation of Trade Unions, and became a volunteer service for out-of-town workers in Hangzhou.
"Stronger government support and wider knowledge about us confirm our beliefs," says Xu who adds that his next goal is helping workers in other big cities.
"We won't accept labels like 'pathetic' and 'poor'," says the founder, 34-year-old Xu Wencai from Jiangxi Province, whose "family" now has more than 300 members from across China. They work in various jobs, but mostly manual labor.
The organization, located in a small rented house, isn't only a place for meals, parties and learning about workers' legal rights. "Our biggest goal is to change city people's attitude toward and their concept of out-of-town workers," says Xu.
Migrants often struggle to survive. They're easy to spot: they don't speak local dialect; they do manual labor or simple work; they don't have much education and their clothes are simple or shabby.
They may be bullied or exploited by local bosses and others. News about their problems is not rare.
Last year, a worker in Henan Province underwent a chest operation to prove to his employer he had a work-related ailment after his boss refused compensation. This year, the treatment of migrants at Foxconn in Guangdong Province led to attempted suicides.
Four years ago Xu himself was working in a fashion factory.
"Who says we can't someday buy fashionable clothes costing hundreds of yuan? Who says we can't get better paying jobs? And why can't we do whatever local people can do," he asks.
"Because we do not get respect - that's why," says Xu. "I want migrants to know that they should respect themselves first and then they can get respect from others.
Xu quit his job, studied Webpage design and set up his own site, www.hzcgzj.com, in July 2006.
"It's not to protect migrant workers' rights after they get bullied. Instead, it aims first to cultivate an awareness of their legal rights to keep bullies away and then to enrich their lives and spare time and avoid negative emotions," says Xu.
Xu's slogan is "mutual aid and self-improvement" and the organization collected supporters and expanded. In 2008 Xu and four other key figures collected funds and rented a 100-square-meter house that includes a small reading room, computer room and movie room with a projector.
"Most of migrant workers' spare time is very boring: watching TV, playing cards and Internet games," says Liu Heng, an administrator of Grassroots Family. "So various activities, strong personal contact and support help improve their self-esteem and enrich their life."
Xu's main job, in adding to Grassroots Family leader, is raising funds for the family magazine, hiring administrators and paying rent and utilities.
The Family is divided into six groups with specific tasks: talent shows, magazine work, public affairs, promoting legal knowledge, organizing sports and protecting the rights of women in factories.
Over four years people have found friendship, a sense of belonging and greater self-confidence. One man even owes his life to Grassroots Family.
Huang Genlin from Anhui Province was diagnosed with uremia, kidney failure, last September. He had no relatives who could help and little money, so he refused expensive treatment and secluded himself. On hearing the news, the Grassroots Family held a charity performance and sale, eventually raising 100,000 yuan (US$14,708) and saving Huang's life.
News of the Grassroots Family has spread, inspiring other groups and migrant performers.
Several factory owners have consulted Xu on how to improve their staff's attitude.
"It's a great step that this organization is influencing people and I truly think I'm accomplishing a mission impossible," says Xu.
Two weeks ago, Grasroots Family was absorbed into the Hangzhou Federation of Trade Unions, and became a volunteer service for out-of-town workers in Hangzhou.
"Stronger government support and wider knowledge about us confirm our beliefs," says Xu who adds that his next goal is helping workers in other big cities.
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