From the streets to the Great Hall of the People

At first, Ren was not sure whether to say hello to the other delegates. "They are officials and entrepreneurs, and I deal with garbage every day, will they be willing to talk to me?" he wondered.

However, he found the other delegates were quite friendly and his contact with the rights lawyers representing migrant workers further convinced him that his main priority at the congress was to pass on the voice of the grassroots to the top authorities.

Zhu said she always knew the public was concerned about the new delegates' ability to participate in the discussions and represent their fellow migrant workers.

To fulfill her responsibilities, she had in-depth conversations with other migrant workers at her workplace, Shanghai Huari Clothing Co. She also made secret inquiries at other factories and places of work, so she could learn more about workers' concerns and aspirations.

"I didn't like the organized meetings with migrant workers in conference rooms; they were so nervous and couldn't talk freely. That's why I decided to visit the construction sites myself," she said.

"But it also required a lot of skill. At first, when I went there and told people that I was an NPC delegate, they looked at me doubtfully and it was quite embarrassing. Then I learned you have to approach people little by little and that the best way is to talk simply, like friends."

Based on the materials she collected from her fellow migrant workers, Zhu has submitted more than 10 proposals in the past five years, ranging from strengthening the social security net for migrant workers to fighting the delayed payment of wages.

At present, her biggest concern is the question of when the children of migrants will be allowed to take the gaokao, China's national college entrance exam, in major cities.

In August, provincial authorities were told by the State Council, or cabinet, to resolve the issue by the end of 2012. However, detailed plans have yet to be unveiled by the three largest cities, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Under the existing system, students have to return to the place where they have hukou, or household registration, to take the exam. The system puts those from heavily populated regions at a disadvantage compared with students from Beijing, Shanghai and other large cities, and leaves them with a much slimmer chance of being enrolled at universities.

"In China, people care about their children's education more than anything. I really hope every kid can enjoy equal opportunities. We migrant workers are even more determined, because we know how hard life can be if you lack education," said Zhu, who left school at 17 because of the financial hardships facing her family. "I know it will take time to solve the problem but attention from the central government has sent a really positive signal.

Zhu said her five years as an NPC delegate have changed her a lot. She doesn't run from the media anymore, but treasures every opportunity to voice her opinions. She pays more attention to the news and said that even her 6-year-old son can name a few of the country's top leaders.

She has also been promoted at work, moving from the post of production line supervisor to become director of the sales department. However, she decided to differentiate between her political and working roles, so she doesn't mention her NPC status on her name card.

"Business is business. I want to win the trust of my clients with the quality of our products," she said.

Ren is also likely to gain promotion because he has just completed a two-year course at the China Institute of Industrial Relations, for which he was sponsored by the local labor union.

At the moment, though, he's too busy to give the matter a great deal of thought. He is arranging to deliver more than 30 lectures at State-owned enterprises before Spring Festival early next year, and the local government in Pingquan county has also invited him to make a speech there.

"I haven't agreed to that yet, because I don't decide my own schedule. I never thought my post-congress life could become even busier," he said.

Wu Wencong and Yang Wanli contributed to this story.

 

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