From Chinese Press

Seasonal labor shortage

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-02-14 09:17

It is reported that there was a shortage of labor in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces after Spring Festival, but with many migrant workers still in their hometowns and in no hurry to return to work, this does not mean there is an overall shortage of labor, says an article in Changjiang Daily. Excerpts:

After working hard for a whole year without leave and welfare, migrant workers have very few opportunities to reunite with their families and the overall welfare problem of these workers needs to be addressed. Many have argued China's demographic bonus is now in decline and that only by industrial upgrade and pay improvements can companies survive. However, we cannot say that the worker shortage that has occurred after Spring Festival represents a decline in the country's demographic bonus.

The current worker shortage is seasonal and does not mean the time when the total labor supply declines has arrived. In the long term, a lack of labor would become an overall matter and the international competitive strength of China's economy would then be affected. Therefore, the matter of worker shortage should be clearly analyzed at different levels from cultural, economic and social perspectives. A clear judgment is needed about this temporary worker shortage and any potential future lack of labor.