The paper is based on a survey carried by the author in several parts of the country. Workers are employed in both large enterprises manufacturing for international markets and in small and medium sized enterprises manufacturing for the Chinese domestic market. The aim of the survey is to have a ...
(Show more)The paper is based on a survey carried by the author in several parts of the country. Workers are employed in both large enterprises manufacturing for international markets and in small and medium sized enterprises manufacturing for the Chinese domestic market. The aim of the survey is to have a more comprehensive picture on the daily living needs of workers and their family, and the extent to which these needs are satisfied by the current wage levels.
Several conclusions will be drawn:
(1) Workers get used to low consumption. Food accounts for the largest share of workers’ daily expenses, followed by housing. However, most of them can only afford cheap but poorly maintained accommodation. They seldom buy clothes regularly, and also strictly refrain from excessive grocery shopping and spending on leisure and entertainment. Many workers do not spend on transportation at all by commuting on foot instead of public transport, except visiting their hometown once a year.
(2) Workers invest heavily in particularly healthcare and family financial burden. Workers with low income sacrifice their personal life quality to meet their family needs, trying.
(3) Social security fails to ease the financial burden of workers; workers’ capacity to save differ drastically. Social insurance in the four cities does not fully cover the medical needs of all workers, while costs for many services and medication are not reimbursed but self-financed.
(Show less)