A Study Of The Salaries Of Rural-Workers

Rural-workers are a transitional group during the development of the economy and society in China. They are a legacy of the dual urban-rural system that has been functioning since the planning system. Salaries are the rewards for workers' labor. For a long time, rural-workers have been working under poor conditions with too low salaries that are usually defaulted and deducted illegally. There is a significant contrast between the output and money they earn. This is mainly due to the long-term situation of excessive supply of rural-workers and the national policy of 'emphasizing capital much more than labor'.The unfair situation of rural-workers' salaries has brought negative effects on the healthy and sustainable development of China's economy and society. Lower salaries will go against the protection of abundant labor resource, the accumulation of human capital, the formation of a technical workforce of modem industry, and the further adjustment and upgrade of economic and industrial structures. It also tenses the disputes and conflicts between labor and capital, and deepens the gap between the poor and the rich, which will be unfavorable to the construction of an overall well-off and harmonious society in China.Basing on the analysis above, Chapter 3 discusses the structure of rural-workers' salaries as well as the factors influencing it. It suggests that since rural-workers are regarded as industrialists, their salaries shall be high enough to maintain the production and reproduction of labor, and also shall rise according to the development of economy and society. These results need efforts from all parties of rural-workers, enterprises and government. Rural-workers are expected to make an effort to improve their technical ability and quality. Enterprises shall take their social accountabilities while seeking profits, which is required by rural-workers for gaining reasonable salaries, also there is a need for enterprises themselves to improve their competitiveness with the background of globalization. Government shall reinforce institutional reform, avoid discrimination policies against rural-workers; strengthen the construction of labor market of rural-workers, which includes organizing and training these workers, and helping them to aquire technical knowledge of modern industry; enforce labor law strictly and establish an effective and reliable mechanism to arbitrate and coordinate the disputes and conflicts between labor and capital, and to protect rural-workers' rights and interests effectively.