Suggested ways out

Experts in sociology and law like Wu and Deng suggest that society should work together to help migrant workers.

The government should enforce the laws and regulations effectively and punish the factory managements that treat migrant workers badly. These factories are expected to grant their workers regular paid holidays so they can return home as well as allowing spouses to visit, said Deng with the Jiangning District Procuratorial Department.

Local governments should also improve workers' knowledge of the law by giving out handbooks and holding regular lectures for them.

Wu suggested employers and authorities should help and encourage workers to enjoy a more healthy existence outside of work.

Methods include providing free and accessible "healthy" movies or building leisure centres where workers can play cards or table tennis to divert attention away from their sexual demands.

It has been reported that a cinema targeting migrant groups was established in Beijing during the last Spring Festival.

And practices such as handing out free condoms in areas with a lot of migrants were also listed by Wu as a way to curb widespread sexually transmitted diseases.

Researchers also suggest that some rules relating to the movement of people need to be changed if social problems initiated by migrants are to be fought.

Chen Liangwen, a researcher with the China Centre for Regional Economics under Peking University, said a key issue is to alter the permanent residential policy. Without proper permits, migrant workers face difficulties with such things like getting jobs and housing.

More specifically, including migrant workers in a city's subsidiary housing plan is a fundamental way to help them, according to Tao Ran, a researcher in development economics with China Academy of Sciences.

When an entire family can afford to live together in a city, problems generated by loneliness are eased naturally, according to Tao.

A good example of how to accommodate migrant couples is the "lovebird nest" emerging in Shenzhen, Nanjing, and Yongkang County in East China's Zhejiang Province.

With large numbers of migrant workers from Anhui and Henan provinces, the Xiaguan district in Nanjing has built dozens of cheap apartments which can be rented for 300 yuan (US$37.5) per month when spouses come to visit.

In a Shenzhen handbag-making factory funded by a Hong Kong investor, 168 migrant couples who have, on average, worked in the factory for seven to 10 years are enjoying their spare time in "lovebird nests."

It has been reported by local media that due to this considerate welfare measure, workers in the factory are more dedicated and rarely choose to leave. Production efficiency at the site is 40 per cent higher than at other similar factories in the same area.

(China Daily 08/16/2006 page1)