Changes in laws will help protect wages: Trade unions

All-China Federation of Trade Unions, China's semi-official umbrella for workers, urges legislators to revise laws to guarantee that Chinese workers are paid for their work, and that employers who do not pay face harsher penalties.

The push comes as a result of ongoing problems with employers who renege on paying those who worked for them, and employers who vanish without a trace, leaving workers unpaid. The problem is especially bad for migrant workers.

Li Shouzhen, spokesman of the federation, said as the year-end is approaching, cases of default on payments may rise. The federation will join hands with the government and carry out a special inspection to check payment of the migrant workers from Nov 15 to Feb 5, 2010.