Legal aid for migrant workers
Updated 11:01, 28-Jun-2018
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By CGTN's Han Bin

Many participants of the political meetings are calling on the government to help migrant workers solve problems with n­­­on-payment of wages. They say better enforcement of the law is key. CGTN's Han Bin went to southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality to meet a special lawyer who has been helping migrant workers win back their rights for some two decades.
Zhou Litai showed his case files to reporter Han Bin at his law firm in Chongqing. / CGTN Photo

Zhou Litai showed his case files to reporter Han Bin at his law firm in Chongqing. / CGTN Photo

Downturn Adds to Salary Woes

34 year-old Li Jiuping and his wife run a breakfast shop. At the age of 15, Li lost his right hand in a work accident. He knows the meaning of “justice delayed is justice denied,” having to wait two years to be compensated. But the case has made him stronger. China’s rapid urbanization has driven a huge flow of rural laborers into factories and construction sites, just like Li Jiuping, with injuries and unpaid wages have been the biggest problems of the trend.
 “The long legal process taught me to believe in law. It’s not just for money, but for justice. ” --- Li Jiuping, a migrant worker who lost his right hand in a work accident in 2006. / CGTN Photo

 “The long legal process taught me to believe in law. It’s not just for money, but for justice. ” --- Li Jiuping, a migrant worker who lost his right hand in a work accident in 2006. / CGTN Photo

Lawyer Zhou Litai is all too familiar with the situation. For the past 20 years, he's dealt with over 10,000 cases from migrant workers. Zhou Litai says despite China's rapidly expanding legal profession, migrant workers still find it difficult to gain access to the judicial system, and even harder to win their case. That’s why his law firms have served as a special corridor for legal aid to win back their rights. He says the legal awareness of migrant workers has been greatly improved. The number of injuries has fallen, but pay defaults have been getting worse.
Almost every day, he receives migrant workers, who are coming for legal aid. CGTN caught up with a group of migrant workers at Zhou Litai’s law firm. More than 100 of them work in a shoe factory. The company owes them four months wages, and the boss has disappeared. 61-year-old Li Guangjin cried in front of camera. She says she is getting old and needs to earn some money. She went to work at five in the morning, and went back home at eight at night. But the company cheated her and she has gained nothing at all. 
Migrant workers in Chongqing seeking legal aid at Zhou Litai’s law firm. / CGTN Photo

Migrant workers in Chongqing seeking legal aid at Zhou Litai’s law firm. / CGTN Photo

Better Law Enforcement is Needed

According to Zhou, China has enacted quite a number of laws to protect workers’ rights, but the companies would not profit much if they strictly abided by the law, so many of them are escaping the laws at the cost of sacrificing workers’ interests and rights. Some local governments have interfered in the judicial process to protect economic growth. This has raised the bar for helping the workers win the cases and justice.
Zhou Litai taking interviews with CGTN in Chongqing. / CGTN Photo

Zhou Litai taking interviews with CGTN in Chongqing. / CGTN Photo

Nowadays, the wage cuts and defaults happened mostly in the construction sector. Most migrant workers can’t get their salaries until a project is completed. Zhou has pointed out that despite the government’s clear regulations, many projects are illegally outsourced several times before they were officially started. What’s worse, some project contractors borrowed money from loan sharks. They have to pay the sharks first, and have no money for the migrant workers. Zhou Litai strongly calls for government to strictly ban all illegal contractors. 
He Shulin at home lying in bed. He gets black lung disease during years of work in a factory in Southern China’s Shenzhen in 2006. / CGTN Photo

He Shulin at home lying in bed. He gets black lung disease during years of work in a factory in Southern China’s Shenzhen in 2006. / CGTN Photo

Zhou Litai believes the rule of law needs real action. He keeps on driving towards that goal. CGTN crew followed him re-visiting a migrant worker he failed to help ten years ago. The local arbitration committee agreed to fine the company over occupational diseases. But the higher courts turned it down. 38 migrant workers from Kaizhou all had black lung disease. For 36 of them, justice denied has been fatal. He Shulin is one of the two still alive. He says he doesn’t care about his legal rights now, even if Zhou Litai could help him win his case one day. He never knows if he will draw his next breath.