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ACFTU: building trade unions with Chinese characteristics

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-18 20:32

BEIJING - After being a sweeper for most of her working life, entering the Great Hall of the People proved quite a change of routine for Fan Xiping.

The 48-year-old from Lanzhou, capital of the northwestern Gansu Province, was in Beijing to attend the ongoing 15th national congress of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU).

Related readings:  Trade union congress salutes migrants  China trade union's 15th national congress opens  Overseas firms must unionize - trade union official

Having swept roads for more than 20 years, Fan was now among 47 representatives of the country's massive migrant workforce for the congress.

Most are employed in the manufacturing, construction, urban sanitation and restaurant sectors.

To safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the 210 million farmers-turned-migrant workers has become a new mission of trade unions nationwide.

According to ACFTU chairman Wang Zhaoguo, top priority has been given to the task.

"When I went into the Great Hall of the People, I was so excited. In the past, I did not know who I could rely on when facing difficulties," Fan said. "Now I hope I can speak for migrant workers like myself on the platform provided by the congress."

"My biggest dream is to own a home. I hope work safety will be ensured for me when I sweep roads every day and that I can get a pension after I am retired."

The large population of migrant workers, of them about 66 million are now members of the federation, has become one of the Chinese characteristics in the country's urbanization and unionization process.

Wang said in his working report on Friday when the congress opened trade unions nationwide should search for a path of strengthening the organizations with Chinese characteristics.

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