Three days are left until the Chinese New Year’s Day, and migrant workers who have been working away from home are hoping to return to their families with their hard-earned money for a year of reunion. However, this year, many migrant workers are still unable to go home due to not making enough money, and they are left waiting in the cold for odd jobs.
February 14th, a reporter from Epoch Times learned about the situation from casual labor markets in Anhui, Shandong, Henan, Guizhou, and other places.
In Jinan, Shandong, a casual labor market was crowded with people looking for odd jobs. Wang Hao (pseudonym) told Epoch Times that he arrives at the local labor market for day labor as early as 4 a.m. every day, but he hasn’t found any work for over half a month.
He mentioned that because he didn’t make any money this year, he doesn’t plan to go back home. He also explained that there are many relatives and friends in the countryside who require money for the Lunar New Year celebrations.
“People say, ‘What’s the point of celebrating the New Year if you don’t have money?’ Giving red envelopes to relatives and friends is a tradition, buying gifts for them requires money, and celebrating the New Year with food and drinks also costs money.”
“People are struggling to make ends meet. Where are the village chiefs and officials at times like these? Only a very few are living comfortably,” he said.
Zhang Wen (pseudonym), who is looking for odd jobs at a labor market in Guiyang, told Epoch Times that many people around him are in the same situation, having worked hard all year without making any money. They struggle to get by with just a box of instant noodles a day and are reluctant to return to their hometowns.
“With just a few days left until the New Year, everyone is still here looking for work, and there are still many who haven’t found any job opportunities,” he said. Zhang explained that it’s not due to lack of effort but rather the societal conditions that are forcing everyone into these circumstances.
Even though Guangming (pseudonym), a farmer from Henan in his fifties, returned to his hometown before the New Year, he has no festive spirit due to financial constraints. He mentioned that many people don’t have money to buy Lunar New Year goods. “I haven’t even thought about the New Year yet, my mood is so bad.”
“Everyone is going through tough situations this year and not making money,” he told Epoch Times. Guangming explained that the work situation this year is different from previous years. People cannot find stable jobs and end up working for short periods here and there. It’s difficult to find work that lasts.
Speaking about his acquaintances, Guangming mentioned that some of them worked but didn’t get paid, waiting at the construction site for their wages. Some have nowhere to go due to work stoppages and can only roam outdoors. “Some even cry as they return home.”