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Silent revolt among China's young workers will not stay quiet for long
Taiwan News ^ | 27 Dec 2021 | Staff writer

Posted on 12/27/2021 6:15:21 PM PST by anthropocene_x

Chinese companies have long been toxic places to work. Tech companies have long practiced the presenteeism of ‘996’ – working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for 6 days a week without overtime pay. Famous founders Jack Ma and Richard Liu have lauded 996, mistakenly equating long hours with strong work ethic.

What’s worse, this standard has now seeped into most other sectors in China. In January, a delivery worker of E.le.ma (餓了麼) set himself on fire after the company did not pay him 5000 yuan that they owed him for two weeks. Delivery workers across the country have staged many strikes to protest low wages, payment delays, and work hazards.

China’s growth miracle ended even before the pandemic began, but its effects have been even more pronounced. The first pinch that young Chinese feel is in education.

Take, for example, the college entrance exam or "Gaokao" ("高考"). Though meant to be a meritocratic leveler, urban students enjoy huge advantages due to better resources.

“Everyone in China has the same goals: Earn more money, buy a home of more than 100 square meters, own a car, start a family, and so on,” Xiang told Sixth Tone in an interview. “This route is very well-marked, and everyone is highly integrated. People are all fighting for the same things within this market,” he went on.

A young Chinese person’s lot in life is not enviable. From pre-kindergarten, children start preparing to get into good universities.

Beyond that they fight for good jobs to buy a tiny apartment in a coastal sprawling city. Their parents push them to get married and expect them to take care of them in their old age.

Now the state wants them to have three children. It is simply too much.

(Excerpt) Read more at taiwannews.com.tw ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Society
KEYWORDS: china

1 posted on 12/27/2021 6:15:21 PM PST by anthropocene_x
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To: anthropocene_x

Too much work. Not enough reward. All work and no play. Just not worth it.


2 posted on 12/27/2021 6:20:59 PM PST by Trumpet 1 (US Constitution is my guide.)
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To: Trumpet 1

Maybe they should just lay down?!


3 posted on 12/27/2021 6:27:51 PM PST by JJBookman (Lay down?)
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To: JJBookman
Yes. tangping


4 posted on 12/27/2021 6:34:04 PM PST by Theoria
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To: anthropocene_x
Long hours of work for low pay for the profits of their corporate overlords, no room for advancement and demographic problems? It sounds like China is ripe for a communist revolution. Or at least we could ship our union leaders there to infect them with our union culture: time for another break and file three grievances against the boss.
5 posted on 12/27/2021 6:36:11 PM PST by KarlInOhio (I stand behind Alec Baldwin. It is far too dangerous to stand in front of him.)
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To: KarlInOhio
Long hours of work for low pay for the profits of their corporate overlords, no room for advancement and demographic problems?

Waking up each day knowing your korporate overlords are desperately cracking the whip in order to gain more wealth to catch up to their globalist peers.

6 posted on 12/27/2021 6:39:14 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: T.B. Yoits
The boomer generation: Was there ever a generation so productive and so under compensated for so long?


7 posted on 12/27/2021 6:42:36 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: anthropocene_x

Bump for later.


8 posted on 12/27/2021 7:13:12 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("All lies and jest; still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.")
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To: central_va

From 1948 going forward. Better machinery made the work easier and faster. Production increase from automation. Machine tool draftsmen maybe got better wages while factory workers got stagnant wages.


9 posted on 12/27/2021 7:17:34 PM PST by Trumpet 1 (US Constitution is my guide.)
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To: anthropocene_x

China is far down the path of consumerist debt serfdom and rigid social stratification due to both printed money and massive government power and social-engineering.

But the USA is following the same general policies.


10 posted on 12/27/2021 7:19:55 PM PST by PGR88
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To: anthropocene_x

japan has the same issues


11 posted on 12/27/2021 7:27:58 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Don’t count on a successful Tiannamen Square uprising. How often does it happen? Berlin Wall ‘89. Iran ‘79. Castro ‘59. China is successful-golden goose. Who wants to kill it?


12 posted on 12/28/2021 3:40:00 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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