Improving Conditions for Chinese Workers

Reports out of China recently have hinted at improved work conditions, particularly for women. A recent article in MANAFN brings this issue to light.

One of the positive effects of the Communist ascendance in China was to vastly improve the role of women. The communists taught millions to read and write and to understand political issues and the larger community - this as opposed to their traditional roles rooted solely within the family. Once Deng Xiao Ping opened Chinese doors to capitalism there came a flood of workers seeking the better paying jobs in China's first Special Economic Zones (SEZ's) located in southern China across from Hong Kong. Most of these workers were sent out of the interior of China to send money back home to their families. With the decrease of communist rhetoric in China there was a resurgence of the traditional family unit and men were expected to provide income while women reared children. This naturally meant most of the workers who went down south were male.

As more and more factories opened and more opportunities for employment opened up factory owners were able to capitalize on the fact that fewer workers were women and they had to accept lower wages to find work.

What is happening in China today is an increase in production in new regions of China - most notably in around the Shanghai area. This has made keeping workers - men and women - much more important to the Southern factories then it had previously been. Better benefits and safer conditions as well as more equal pay for woman have been the result. During a recent visit to Shenzhen, I was fortunate to meet a number of factory owners that are progressive in their thoughts about workplace advancement. It’s simple economic equilibrium between supply and demand.

It is important to bear in mind the conditions in the interior of China are still dismal when compared with the Southern and costal regions most western reporters are familiar with.

As the head of my sourcing company I have the unique pleasure of taking many of my clients on their first visit to China. Inevitably what they see and experience shatters any preconceptions of China being an old oppressive industrial nation with terrible working conditions. Is there room for improvement yes, but as the article that I have brought to you attention clearly shows, improvements are happening.

My personal experience is that each person finds a renewed spirit about business and even more important a better understanding of the Chinese business environment and people.