One-child policy creates labour shortage in Chinese cities

Diminished financial needs and growing expectations in families with one child have led to less interest in more tiring and unhealthy jobs. Many firms are not managing to fill jobs.

Beijing (AsiaNews/SCMP) – The one-child policy has led to pressing labour shortages in large Chinese industries, especially in the industrialized south.

Brian Ho, an expert in the employment sector, said Mao Zedong used to encourage large families in the 50s and 60s. But in the 80s, the government introduced a limit of one child per family to rein in demographic growth. The first generation born within this policy has now reached 18 years and is about to enter the world of work.

The phenomenon of one-child families means that there is "less economic pressure on migrant workers and the level of education and expectations [of these youth] is higher." Without the pressing concern of several mouths to feed, "this new generation of migrants can change work frequently if they are not happy with their wages or living conditions."

Willie Fung Wai-yiu, chairman of Top Form International, a beer factory, said: "Two years ago, for each job in our Jianxi factory, there were five to 10 applicants. Today, we don't have more than two candidates for each place."

The problem is prevalent across the country. In Shaoxing, in Zhejiang, there is a lack of labour for manufacturing firms and at least 100,000 workers are needed. In Feburary, in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian, only 15,000 people presented themselves for 50,000 jobs. Ho said many firms in Fujian have increased wages to find the labour they need. Workers are lacking in Huilongba too, the textiles centre of Chongqing, although salaries have gone up from 800 yuan per month in 2004 to 1,000.

Tony Wu Kam-bun, director of the Smart Union Group that produces toys: "Parents don't want their only child to leave home."

To respond to industrial demand, for decades, an influx of migrants has been flowing from rural areas to industrial cities in the south and on the coast. It is estimated that at least 100 million migrants "circulate" cities for seasonal jobs.

Wu added: "Migrants are attracted by easier work and they want ever higher wages." Or else, said Willy Lin Sun-mo, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Textiles Council, "they know they can find work elsewhere".

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