Workers in new jobs to attend national trade unions congress with proposals for improving working conditions

A total of 104 elected delegates from Southwest China's Sichuan Province arrive at the Tianfu International Airport on October 7, 2023, to assemble for the 18th national congress of Chinese trade unions, which will be held in Beijing on October 9, 2023. Photo: Workers' Daily

As Chinese trade unions are set to convene their 18th national congress in Beijing on Monday, more than one fifth of selected delegates are workers in new jobs, such as delivery men and car-hailing drivers. The representatives will introduce proposals to better protect the group's legal rights and interests.

According to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), a total of 2,002 delegates from 35 delegations across the country will attend the congress, which is held every five years as required by the Constitution of the ACFTU.

The congress will revise the Constitution of Trade Unions of the People's Republic of China and elect new leadership for the ACFTU.

Among the delegates, grassroots and frontline workers account for 68.3 percent, a 3.2 increase compared with the 17th congress in 2018. The group representing workers from new economic and social organizations, or engaged in new forms of employment make up 22.4 percent, which experts say further enhances the diversity and representativeness of the participants.

Zhu Jingtao is one of these delegates. As a delivery man from the city of Wuzhong in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Zhu visited more than 20 managers and employee representatives from several express delivery companies including Yuantong, Jitu and Shentong on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival to bring voices from frontline workers to the congress.

Zhu plans to raise proposals including promoting unmanned 24-hour open service stations for outdoor workers, speeding up the establishment of a physical examination system for delivery workers, and setting up an aid platform for workers engaged in new forms of employment.

"I feel great responsibility to represent online ride-hailing drivers at the congress. We have established the Guangzhou Online Ride-Hailing Industry Trade Union Federation and attracted about 20,000 of these drivers. I have submitted relevant proposals in the hopes of further safeguarding drivers' right to reasonable pay," said Fang Ou, a delegate from South China's Guangdong Province and chairman of the Guangzhou Online Ride-Hailing Industry Trade Union Federation.

Besides the 2,002 delegates from provincial-level trade unions, trade unions from the railway, civil aviation and finance sectors, as well as the trade union federation of the central and state organs. A total of 60 specially invited delegates and 50 guests from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao will also be present.

Including workers engaged in new forms of employment into the congress delegates reflects Chinese trade unions' emphasis on better guaranteeing the new group's labor rights and interests, which will not only benefit workers, but also promote the compliant operation of platforms and enhance their competitiveness to boost the high-quality development of the Chinese economy, Liu Junhai, a law professor from Renmin University of China, who was invited to attend the congress, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The ACFTU said in late March that 84 million workers are engaged in new forms of employment in China. They are mainly truck drivers, ride-hailing drivers, couriers and food delivery personnel, with a majority being young to middle-aged males.

Liu said the ACFTU is working to extend and update its responsibilities to better serve and protect the majority of workers and reflect their reasonable demands to meet the needs of actual development, while also trying to unleash their enthusiasm, creativity, and positivity during work.