China’s migrant workers facing end of an era as the world’s factory winds down amid coronavirus, US-China trade war
- China’s 290 million migrant workers have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus having already been under pressure from the US-China trade war
- One worker, Rao Dequn, has worked for 25 years in Chinese factories making goods for overseas markets, but will lose her job in less than a month
After spending more than half her life working in factories in Guangdong, Rao Dequn’s 25 years as a migrant worker could be coming to an end within a month, with the coronavirus and US-China trade war leading to another factory closure in Dongguan’s withering export-oriented manufacturing industry.
Mother-of-two Rao, 43, and around 900 colleagues were informed by letter at the end of July that Dongguan Dingyi Shoes Company would be closing in five weeks as their “employment at the company, on top of all other agreements you may have with the company, will be terminated”.
“It will be very difficult to find another stable factory to work for … many nearby factories are closing down or laying off workers,” said Guizhou native Rao, who has been working at the shoe factory for the last 10 years.
I am sad to leave this job and this factory. The boss is a good person, the pay is always on time
“I am sad to leave this job and this factory. The boss is a good person, the pay is always on time, and income has always been stable. Many of the workers have been working here for over 20 years,” added Rao, who has been promised a redundancy package in line with the local labour laws.
