Workers Across China Demand Unpaid Wages Ahead of Lunar New Year

Officials of Beijing Labour and Social Security Bureau direct migrant workers to get their defaulted wages February 9, 2007 in Beijing, China. China Photos/Getty ImagesAs Lunar New Year approaches, workers across China are taking to the streets over unpaid wages, adding pressure on businesses already strained by a slowing economy and on local authorities tasked with keeping order.The timing of these protests is sensitive. The weeks before Lunar New Year are typically when migrant workers expect to receive back pay before returning home. This year, however, workers in multiple cities have said that wages have gone unpaid for months. China-based observers told The Epoch Times the disputes reflect a slowing economy that is squeezing companies’ cash flow and making it harder to meet payroll.