Equal Pay: University Graduates and Migrant Workers
How are we coping with the global recession in China? Take a look at CCTV’s appropriately named news program ‘China, confidence’, you will know the anxiety and fidgety hope spread across the country. Last night’s program was particularly interesting. It featured two largest job seeking groups in China: university graduates and migrant workers. This year, there are 5.5 million students leaving college while millions of migrant workers are out of work in the midst of factories closing down. It was never likely that these people would cross each other’s path. But when interviewed, some graduates have lowered their salary expectation to around 1500 RMB a month considering the economic situation and an over supply of fresh graduates. On the other hand, migrant workers, especially experienced ones who’ve lived through the boom and now bust are demanding more. A few interviewd said that they were making around 1500 RMB -2000 RMB a month and that’s the lowest they could accept. If they couldn’t get that kind of money working in the city, a few said they would return home and start their own business. A reverse demonstration of humility and confidence, and one of the many fascinating contradictions in China.
This entry was posted on Thursday, November 27th, 2008 at 1:46 pm and is filed under news, observing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
5:00 pm on November 27th, 2008
Hi Jenny!
this is certainly the big in between China.
it surprises me that graduates got to find themselves unemployed in China. All we hear is that Chinese companies are constantly understaffed.
University graduates complain about unemployment all around the world, I have friends that say they’d be better off laying bricks on a wall! Sometimes I think so too (though the only non-college job I had was as a carpenter).
Do your friends think so too? Do you know someone who would like to earn more as a mechanic than as a four year schooled Vet? Or a physiotherapist who’d like to be a plumber?
bentinho
7:50 am on November 28th, 2008
朱老师, it should be “contradictions” not “contraductions” in the last sentence.
But I still think you earn a ” 哇，你英语说得那么好啊！！！ “
9:20 am on November 28th, 2008
maxiewawa,
Once again, the spelling police. Thank you!
12:11 pm on December 1st, 2008
The people I’ve met that have been through really hard times do have a confidence that they can make it through anything. Not just the Chinese, but all nationalities. But the confidence to demand even higher wages… that’s chutzpah.
Here in the States, the top-tier workers are said to be getting multiple offers, as companies trim their workforce and only keep core staff.
1:12 pm on December 1st, 2008
bentinho,
I think the dilemma is that there is an oversupply of university graduates in China to begin with, accentuated by the fact that they have no relevant work experience or skills. Companies are understaffed but the kind of skills they look for are not often addressed in college education. Another important fact is that students from top universities are still quite well positioned in the job market. But a vast number of universities are not top quality. What they give their students isn’t exactly very good either.
1:14 pm on December 1st, 2008
Sam,
I read an article saying that certificate based training is becoming even more popular in China as people try to beef up their skills.
1:48 pm on December 1st, 2008
Jenny, I travel a lot and I see the extent to which global economies have made us all more connected. Knowledge workers and manual laborers are beginning a new convergence, and I think we are seeing evidence of that as the “water level” is lowered.
It’s always good to read your perspective! Tom
2:11 pm on December 1st, 2008
Hi Tom,
Likewise. It’s always great to hear your take. Take care!
1:49 pm on December 13th, 2008
一定不能眼高手低，要先学会从基层做起！专业不对口没关系，用心做会有意想不到的收获。
9:15 pm on December 17th, 2008
The most import thing, i think, is to improve one’s own capability to stand above all the rivils in job-hutting and adopt to the society.
2:57 pm on December 20th, 2008
The point about “returning home and starting their own business” is really interesting. Much like in the US, where manufacturing jobs have disappeared and aren’t coming back, the extremely light, low-margin manufacturing that has driven China’s economic growth over the last few decades is flowing to places with lower costs, and it won’t be coming back. China will have to adapt, and one of the best ways to adapt would be if these migrant workers take what they’ve learned back to the interior and use it to spur their local economy.
11:23 am on December 22nd, 2008
Jenny, thanks for this post - I was starting to suspect the very same. It’s amazing how quickly college grads will lower their expectations in China. How about fresh grads as personal assistants at 1000 rmb/month for us? I think so!
As for the migrant workers, they usually have real skills that are marketable. Speaking as someone who studied for 7+ years in uni, I’m sure I could have learned a lot more in several weeks as a welding apprentice.
10:52 pm on December 22nd, 2008
Graduates must face the severe fact, as long as they can find a job to support themselves, they’d better accept the job and learn from the colleagues. Do everything from the new beginning by heart. Be low, don’t be proud but learn. Some day, maybe more opportunities are waiting in front of you.
10:21 am on December 23rd, 2008
Feds (aka Kris),
It would be nice indeed to have a PA. Living in China is so pampering. How are you doing? Merry Christmas and happy 2009!
10:22 am on December 23rd, 2008
Cassie and Kaka,
Yes, as a 过来人/guo4 lai2 ren2/someone who’s lived through it, I say optimism and breaking into the door are the rule of thumb.
10:06 pm on December 23rd, 2008
i think it may be not a bad thing. As for those university graduates, it is hard to seek for a good job with good salary this year or maybe in several years. As a junior, these days I am learning some information about the employment rate of the seniors in our university. The results are really worrying. Only a few have signed to some decent companies, which promised to offer a good salary and welfare. Although it is not the right time for seeking jobs now, compared with last year , this year the employment rate is far lower. It is said next year will be worse. Many of my classmates have decided to further our study to avoid the depression for job hunting.. So have I. Fortunately, our government is implementing the college expansion plan. In my opinion, at the same time the crisis has its advantage. As our teachers said, if one is very proficiency in something, he can obtain a job in any situation, however bad it is, because of some big companies still existing. So the biggest thing that we should do is to learn better rather than blame the society. For those graduates who have not found a job. My idea is for them is to lower your expectation for salary or welfare. The longest day has an end. The economic crisis will be over one day. And I think China will soon be able to get through this period of gloomy time. As for the millions of migrant workers, the bleak economy only adds to a big blow for their lives. The companies crack down. They become the laid-off workers. But they are worse than graduates, because mostly they have family to feed. Also I think it is not a big problem. Probably our government has already came up with a solution to aid these people, maybe like America, to build more local public works ,such as railways, power stations and so on or maybe to give more welfare to them. Meanwhile, these workers should improve themselves to be more competent at work. I have to say that some of them are too deficient to handle the problems on job well. Even some experts are not qualified, to let alone the blue-collar workers.
Generally speaking, Chinese people‘s lives still remain stable. We don’t need to worry about it. I am confident to our economy.
3:37 pm on December 24th, 2008
hi Rain,
From reading what you wrote, I think you have a very bright future ahead of you. All the best in 2009!