Long journey home for salary-battle staff

As Spring Festival approaches, many migrant workers are fighting to obtain money owed to them by unscrupulous bosses who have held back their wages. Xinhua News Agency reports from Changchun.

Lyu Qingfa was making his 16th trip to Tonghua, Jilin pro-vince, in two years to demand wages held in arrears for him and his employees. On Jan 26, he boarded a full coach and departed from Changchun, capital of the Northeast China province, to travel 400 kilometers to Tonghua. During the trip he was surrounded by migrants on their annual exodus home.

With the Lunar New Year holiday fast approaching, a festive atmosphere hung in the air: all the other passengers were hauling huge trunks and gift boxes. Lyu, 60, was the only one traveling empty-handed.