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0Erinome:Hello dear friends! Welcome to our podcast. I'm Erinome, and sitting next to me is Enceladus. Today, we're going to talk about a super hot topic from this year's Two Sessions—protecting the rights of new form workers. You know that?
Enceladus:Oh, new form workers? What are they exactly? Like, are they different from regular workers?
Erinome:Good question! They’re people who work through internet platforms, like delivery guys, takeaway riders, online drivers, or live streamers. You see them every day, right?
Enceladus:Oh right! The guys who bring food to my door or drive me around. But why are they a hot topic now?
Erinome:Because their numbers are huge! The news says there are over 84 million new form workers in China, and more than 200 million flexible workers. Wow, that’s a lot!
Enceladus:That’s a big group! But do they have the same rights as regular workers?
Erinome:Hmm, not really. The problem is their work relationships are not clear. Like, are they employees of the platform? Or just partners? So when they have problems, it’s hard to find who’s responsible. Sad, right?
Enceladus:Oh no, that’s tough. What about social security? Do they get insurance?
Erinome:Good point! Many of them don’t have enough social security. Like, pension or medical insurance. Some even can’t join because the rules are for regular workers. A委员 named Pi Jianlong suggested expanding social security to cover them, even without a clear work relationship.
Enceladus:That makes sense. What about work injuries? If a delivery guy gets hurt on the job, can he get help?
Erinome:That’s a big problem too! Li Dongsheng, a representative, said we should change the Work Injury Insurance Law. He wants all flexible workers to join work injury insurance, maybe with an easy “one-click” sign-up online.
Enceladus:Oh, that would help a lot! What else is being talked about?
Erinome:Some want to update labor laws. Like Ge Guilu, a committee member, said delivery guys and live streamers should be protected by labor laws. They need clear rules for wages and working hours.
Enceladus:Right! I’ve heard some riders work super long hours. No rest, that’s not good.
Erinome:Exactly! Chen Haiyi, a judge, suggested adding “incomplete work relationships” to the law. So even if it’s not a full contract, workers still get basic rights.
Enceladus:Smart! What about making them feel more respected?
Erinome:Oh,汪勇, a delivery manager, suggested setting a “China Delivery Day”! He said that would make delivery guys feel proud and part of society. Haha, that’s a sweet idea!
Enceladus:I love that! People would notice their hard work more. What about money issues? Like公积金 (gongjijin), the housing fund?
Erinome:曹鹏, from JD, found that many riders prefer cash over housing fund deductions. He suggested letting companies give housing fund as补贴 (butie, subsidies) instead of taking it from wages. So they get more money in hand.
Enceladus:That’s practical! So, what’s the plan to fix all these problems?
Erinome:Experts say we need to work together—government, platforms, and society. Make laws clearer, expand social security, watch platforms’ algorithms so they don’t overwork people, and build better services for help.
Enceladus:It sounds like a big job, but important. These workers help our daily life, right? They deliver food, drive us, sell things online. They deserve to feel safe and respected.
Erinome:Totally! With these new policies, maybe soon they’ll have better保障 (baozhang, protection) and work more happily.
Enceladus:I hope so! Okay, that’s it for today. Thanks for listening, everyone. Let's talk again next time!
Erinome:See you next time! Bye!
