1. The background and main content of policy
In 2010, farmer workers were in a favorable situation in terms of employment. At the beginning and the end of the year, there were shortfalls of farmer workers in the coastal areas, and the shortages of laborers showed a trend of spillover to central and western regions. However, it remained true that there was a large redundant workforce in rural areas. The problems of low wages for farmer workers and poor welfare remained unsolved. In view of the situation, the CPC Central Committee strengthened its efforts on work concerning farmer workers. Services were improved for farmer workers who sought jobs in cities, and efforts were made to create more jobs for farmer workers.
First, services were improved for farmer workers who sought jobs in cities. Relevant departments carried out the "Operation Spring Breeze" , which would provide services for farmer workers who sought jobs in cities, help farmer workers find jobs in hometown, and help them return home and start their own businesses. Farmer workers were provided, free of charge, with information on policy, job placements as well as means to protect their rights. Efforts were made to set up a platform for information sharing to let farmer workers move in an orderly manner. The Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation jointly released Circular on Taxation in Support of Employment. The document expanded preferential taxes for the self-employed to cover jobless farmer workers living in cities.
Second, training for farmer workers was launched. The General Office of the State Council released Guidelines on Better Work on Training of Farmer Workers, which clearly defined the objectives of training of farmer workers and relevant policies and measures. Various localities and departments increased investment in training and launched vocational training for farmer workers under the "Special Vocational Training Program" , the "Transfer of Rural Labor Force to Other Sectors Training Program" , and the "Spark Program" . Training was more relevant and of better quality.
Third, labor administration concerning farmer workers was enhanced. The F"Spring Warmth Program" under which labor contracts for farmer workers were promoted in sectors where temporary jobs abounded, such as construction, mining, manufacturing, catering and domestic service was launched. Also launched was a special program for the promotion of labor contracts in small-sized enterprises, and great efforts were made to promote a simplified labor contract text that worked well with farmer workers. The "Rainbow Project" was carried out for a collective consultation mechanism involving labor and management. Efforts were also made to promote the registration of employment of farmer workers.
Fourth, special operations against late wage payments were carried out. Various localities carried out special operations against late payment of wages of farmer workers in order to stem a rebound of such malpractices, which began at the outset of the international financial crisis. Labor dispute arbitration institutions handled cases concerning late payment of wages of farmer workers in a timely manner. The minimum wage threshold was raised, providing firm support for higher wages for farmer workers.
Fifth, the practice to allow the transfer of old-age pension accounts from one region to another was continued and publicity of the practice was enhanced. The second-phase of the "Peace Project" was launched to encourage farmer workers to take part in insurance for work-related injuries. Public spending on schools that accepted children of farmer workers was increased to support their finances and help them improve conditions. Disease prevention and control among farmer workers and free vaccination for their children were carried out. Efforts were made to encourage the development of social organizations of public undertakings and to guide farmer workers in their participation in management of neighborhood affairs. Released was Guidelines on the Speedy Development of Housing for Public Renting, which provided for policies to address housing difficulties of farmer workers.
Sixth, mediation and arbitration, supervision and law enforcement and judicial guarantee concerning labor disputes involving farmer workers were strengthened. "Green channels" were established to facilitate the filing of complaints by farmer workers about labor disputes. The "green channels" simplified procedures for the handling of labor disputes. For small-claim disputes over payment for farmer workers, final verdicts would be directly handed down and enforcement would be carried out without delay. Special operations were carried out against illegal hiring of workers and other crimes. A mechanism of inter-regional coordination for legal aid for farmer workers was improved, the development of professional legal aid institutions for farmer workers was pushed forward, and legal service channels for farmer workers were broadened.
Seventh, reform of the household registration system was carried forward. The policy to relax conditions for farmer workers' settlement in small-and medium-sized cities and small townships was continued to allow farmer workers in permanent employment and their family members to become urban dwellers in an orderly manner.
2.Implementation of the policy and evaluation
At the end of 2010, the total number of farmer workers stood at 242.23 million, an increase of 12.45 million, or 5.4%, compared to the end of 2009. Of the farmer workers were 153.35 million laborers who left home for jobs, an increase of 8.02 million, or 5.5%.
1) Employment services for farmer workers were continuously improved. Public employment service institutions in various localities distributed 35.2 million copies of publicity materials including "Spring Breeze Cards" in bus and railway stations and wharfs where farmer workers were concentrated. Nearly 20,000 job fairs were held, and cost-free employment services were provided to 22.33 million people. Some 15 million rural laborers were moved between regions in an organized manner.
Service stations or windows for the transfer of rural labor force to other sectors were set up in neighborhood and township public employment service platforms. In Hebei, Henan, Anhui and Sichuan provinces, these facilities were extended to neighborhoods and villages to deliver services to households.
Up to 192 counties across the country were designated as demonstration counties for the transfer of rural labor force to other sectors and the return of rural laborers for business start-ups. Various localities worked out policies to help farmer workers who returned home start their own businesses. In Shaanxi and Guangxi provinces, funds were set up to support farmer workers who returned home to start their own businesses. In Anhui, Chongqing and Fujian, business parks were created for these entrepreneurial farmers and guaranteed small loans were provided to them. In Shandong and Liaoning, farmer workers were encouraged to seek employment in foreign countries. In 2010, 411,000 laborers, including farmer workers, were sent abroad for employment. At the end of the year, 847,000 laborers were working abroad, 69,000 more than at the end of 2009.
2) Vocational training for farmer workers was conducted in a massive way. Twenty-four provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) formulated enforcement measures for the Guidelines on Better Work Concerning Training of Farmer Workers. In Fujian and Jiangxi, efforts were made to explore a mechanism under which training funds would go directly to enterprises. In 2010, the central finances spent 5.75 billion yuan for the training of farmer workers, 570 million more than the previous year. Local governments also put in more money. In Guangdong province alone, financial subsidies for training increased by 1 billion yuan in 2010. A total of 7 million farmer workers received vocational training (not including short-term orientation training) under the “Special Vocational Training Program" ，the “Transfer of Rural Labor Force to Other Sectors Training Program” and the “Spark Program”,700,000more than the previous year.
3) Labor administration concerning farmer workers was enhanced. In large-scale enterprises in most provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities), more than 90% of farmer workers signed labor contracts in 2010. In all small- and medium-sized enterprises of the country, 65% of farmer workers signed labor contracts, 20 percentage points higher than the previous year. Through the signing of collective labor contracts in a whole region or in a whole sector, in enterprises where there were trade unions, collective labor contracts covered 60% of workers. In 14 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) including Jilin, Fujian and Qinghai, enforcement regulations for the registration of employment of farmer workers were released in 2010. Across the country, 216 cities (prefectures) put into practice the mechanism of registration of employment, covering 51.23 million laborers including farmer workers.
4) The problems of late wage payments were effectively alleviated. In the fourth quarter of 2010, special nationwide checks were carried out on late payment of wages of farmer workers, retrieving 2.97 billion yuan as wages in arrears and compensation for delayed payments for a total of 1.494 million farmer workers. Efforts were made to make sure that there should be no late payment of wages of farmer workers during the New Year and Spring Festival holidays, that labor disputes involving late wage payments should have been settled before the Spring Festival. Mass disturbances caused by late wage payments were put under control. The number of labor disputes concerning wages of farmer workers handled by labor dispute arbitration authorities at various levels dropped by 15.1% in 2010, and the number of mass disturbances involving more than 100 people caused by late wage payments fell by 30.6%. Thirty provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) raised minimum wage thresholds, which grew 24% on average. Monthly income of farmer workers averaged 1,690 yuan per capita in 2010, an increase of 273 yuan, or 19.3%.
5) Public services for farmer workers were improved. At the end of 2010, 32.84 million farmer workers were covered by old-age pension arrangements, up 22.7% compared to the end of 2009; 45.83 million received medical insurance, up 5.7%; 63.29 million were insured against work-related injuries, up 13.3%; 19.9 million were insured against unemployment, up 21.1%. In 2010, 97,000 farmer workers had their old-age pension and insurance accounts transferred from one province to another.
In 2010, the central finances allocated 3.3 billion yuan as awards for urban schools that recruited children of farmer workers. In Jilin and Zhejiang provinces, more than 90% of farmer workers' children attended public primary and middle schools in urban areas. In Liaoning and Anhui, caring activities such as "proxy parents" were continued, taking as platform the initiative of “sharing the blue sky and caring for children left at home by farmer workers'". In Jiangsu and Chongqing, farmer workers were made eligible for housing for public renting. In places such as Jinjiang, Fujian province, economically affordable housing for renting were built for farmer workers in industrial parks. In Nantong, Jiangsu province, farmer workers were made eligible for low-cost housing in urban areas.
6) Protection of farmer workers' labor rights and interests was strengthened. In 2010, labor dispute arbitration authorities at various levels handled 661,000 labor disputes involving farmer workers, 93.1% of them were settled within a proper period of time. Taking small rural brickkilns, small coalmines and other small diggings and small workshops as hotspots, special operations were carried out for the fourth time against illegal hiring of workers and other crimes. In the operations, 358,500 employers were checked and 2,029 of them were shut down for the lack of proper papers. In addition, 190 licenses were deregistered and 12,700 labor-related malpractices by employment agencies and employers were handled. Legal aid institutions across the country dealt with 270,000 cases involving farmer workers.
7) Farmer workers' settlement in urban areas proceeded in an orderly manner. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the MoA issued Guidelines on the Settlement in Areas of Residence of Farmer Workers and Businessmen and Their Families Who Had Left Their Homes in Affected Areas of the Wenchuan Earthquake. In Guangdong province, 103,600 farmer workers had become urban dwellers after they had won enough credits. The Shaanxi provincial authorities released Opinions on the Promotion of Settlement of Rural Residents in Urban Areas Where Conditions Are Right. The Chongqing municipality formulated Enforcement Measures for the Coordination of Urban-Rural Household Registration Systems and the Reform of Rural Residents，Settlement in Urban Areas (Provisional). The Hebei provincial authorities released Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Household Registration System. The authorities in Ningbo of Jiangsu province, and Chengdu of Sichuan province also formulated measures for the reform of the household registration system.
