中国の農民工の実態がわかる『このように働いて30年』が放送禁止となる

Summary

The video follows three migrant workers in their 50s and 60s who gather daily at a busy intersection in Hebei province, competing with 1,000 others for short-term manual labor jobs paying less than $60 per day. Despite working for decades in cities, they lost value in China's market economy and now struggle to afford basic needs like health insurance. Many avoid long-term jobs due to rampant wage theft, instead opting for risky day labor where they're paid nightly, but earn less than $6 for a day's work with no guarantees.

Takeaways

• 😢 The video highlights the difficult lives of China's migrant workers who struggle to find daily labor jobs and get paid
• 🎥 It was filmed at a busy intersection where migrant workers gather every morning to find work
• 🕑 The workers arrive around 4am and wait all day, but many still cannot find jobs paying even $55 a day
• 🧓 Most are first generation migrants, now in their 50s-60s, who moved to cities 30+ years ago
• 💸 Their most profitable years coincided with China's boom, but they didn't benefit much
• 🤝 They take risky daily jobs to get paid the same day, avoiding unpaid wages
• 😠 Unpaid wages are a huge problem as officials don't care about migrant rights
• 🏢 Protests by unpaid workers are common but suppressed by authorities
• 😞 Daily pay has dropped below $5 for many, but even that is not guaranteed
• 🤐 The documentary brought sympathy, then was quickly censored by authorities

Q & A

Why can't these migrant workers find long-term jobs and have to look for short-term work at the dangerous intersection?

The main reason is that they have lost their market value in China and belong to a discarded group. They are the first generation of migrant workers who came to cities in the 1980s-1990s, and many have worked for over 30 years. But the benefits of rapid urban development in their prime years did not benefit them much.

What are some other reasons the migrant workers prefer short-term jobs?

In addition to being marginalized, some also worry about not getting paid on longer jobs. Random interviews showed many had experience not getting paid wages owed by companies previously.

How much can these migrant workers earn per day now?

According to the documentary and media reports, migrant workers doing basic jobs now earn about 375 yuan ($55) or less per day on average.

Is it easy for them to find work every day?

No, there is no guarantee of finding daily work even at extremely low wages. In the video, the 49-year old carpenter says he will do any job if work is available.

What happened when the carpenter thought he found a job?

He and another worker got in a taxi paid for by the employer to go to the job site, but the employer called to say he found someone else so the carpenter was no longer needed. Unable to pay the taxi fare, the carpenter had to apologize and get out.

What commentary does this video and report provide on labor conditions in China?

It shows the very difficult life endured by the lowest classes of workers in Chinese society, especially early generation migrant workers now discarded. The video gained much sympathy and discussion online before being deleted by authorities.

Why do you think this video and related discussions were deleted in China?

The Chinese Communist Party does not want widespread circulation of imagery that makes visible the difficult plight of common workers, especially marginalized ones. It prefers portraying society as harmonious.

What message does the multi-decade experience of these workers send about conditions in China?

Their long years show that under CCP rule, common people are essentially livestock - they benefit a little in good times when the economy grows, but suffer more in bad times when it contracts.

What recourse do these migrant workers have against problems like wage theft?

Very little. The government has neither the capacity nor intention to address issues faced by the lowest classes of workers. As the economy declines, problems like wage theft can become more severe.

Why do you think authorities also deleted the First Finance and Economics News article even though it obeyed censorship?

Apparently any widespread coverage bringing visibility to the problems faced specifically by discarded migrant workers is seen as too controversial now. The CCP prefers directing public attention only toward more optimistic portrayals.