Local Govts Urged to Increase Incomes

"Our Party and central government's emphasis on protecting workers' rights sends out clear signals and will enable trade union officials to better promote collect bargaining in terms of pay and social insurance," he said.

"In the past, some local governments tried every means possible to attract investment including absurd promises of no obligations to pay workers' social insurance.

"But thanks to the reform of the evaluation mechanism of government officials, especially after improving people's livelihoods became a vital factor to decide whether an official would be promoted, local governments became more motivated to support trade unions' work to protect workers' rights," he added.

Li also said the government will further increase resources and investment to provide training for workers, in order to "transfer the population dividend to a talent dividend".

He said local governments should make more efforts to help disadvantaged groups.

He said he felt happy to see that 22 provincial-level governments have enhanced the benchmark of minimum wage standards by 18.4 percent on average and the human resources authorities have pressed employers to pay arrears of around 14.5 billion yuan (US$2.4 billion) to migrant workers.

The new leadership of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions was elected on Monday with Li Jianguo voted chairman.