Sanitation workers face the elements daily, enduring sun, wind, and rain, while also inhaling significant amounts of dust and vehicle emissions. (People News/AI-generated image)
[People News] The official media of the Chinese Communist Party recently highlighted the story of a kindergarten teacher graduate who struggled to find employment but felt fortunate to become a sanitation worker, expressing that she finds the job quite satisfactory. This report has ignited lively discussions among netizens in mainland China.
As reported by the Yangtze Evening News, Yao Jiahui, who hails from Anhui, has parents working in sanitation in Zhoushan. During her school years, she assisted her mother in street cleaning during winter and summer breaks, gaining early exposure to the challenges of this profession. After graduating, she sought positions related to kindergarten teaching, but due to unsatisfactory salary and benefits, she ultimately decided to follow her parents' path after careful consideration.
The report indicates that Yao Jiahui is tasked with cleaning a section of streets in the old city, needing to finish her initial round of sweeping before the morning rush hour. At 4:30 AM, while most people are still asleep, she dons her sanitation worker uniform and begins cleaning and collecting trash on the streets of Zhoushan, occasionally drawing surprised looks from passersby.
According to local official media, Jingzhou News, motivated by her youth and a desire to earn more, Yao Jiahui voluntarily took on additional cleaning duties in the neighbouring alleys during the afternoon (choosing to work two shifts), often working until 6:30 PM. The extra shifts and overtime hours are compensated with appropriate overtime pay or double shift rewards.
Yao Jiahui mentioned that the pay for this job is reasonable, as it avoids interpersonal conflicts, includes social insurance and overtime pay, with one shift earning 3,000 yuan, and working two shifts would result in a higher income.
The state media reported that Yao Jiahui is "very lucky" to have become a sanitation worker and that she finds the job quite satisfactory. Clearly, the state media has taken a positive stance in reporting this story, portraying her as a typical young person who defies traditional views and is willing to rely on her own efforts for self-sufficiency.
Through such reports, the state media aims to convey a message of "enthusiastic encouragement for grassroots employment and alleviating employment anxiety." It seeks to inform the public that grassroots positions come with solid protections (such as formal social security), and jobs traditionally deemed "undignified" can also lead to economic independence and mental well-being.
So, what are netizens in mainland China saying?
"What kind of propaganda is this?" "Is this really a good thing? Who wouldn’t prefer to work in their field of study and earn the money they deserve?" "Is this what she wants? The reality is that it’s very difficult to pass the teacher qualification exam now, finding a position in a private kindergarten is also challenging, and switching industries is extremely tough. We shouldn’t glorify this kind of work; it highlights the overall employment difficulties in the country."
Additionally, many netizens pointed out that due to the declining birth rate and the closure or downsizing of kindergartens, the number of graduates in early childhood education far exceeds market demand, making the reality of "not being able to find a job in their field" a harsh truth.
Some voices lamented, "After spending several years in college or university, ending up sweeping the streets reflects the disconnect between the current professional offerings in higher education and the job market."
A professionally trained kindergarten teacher has taken up a broom to sweep the streets. She not only faces the daily challenges of wind, sun, and rain but also breathes in significant amounts of dust and car exhaust for over 14 hours each day. If she genuinely feels that this job is acceptable, as reported, it suggests that she has completely given up hope of finding a better job than that of a sanitation worker. To avoid being a burden to her parents, she has no choice but to work as a sanitation worker.
The report states that Yao Jiahui's parents both work in sanitation in Zhoushan. During her college years, she would help her mother sweep the streets during winter and summer breaks.
This indicates that sanitation jobs are not readily available everywhere for immediate hiring. It is likely that Yao Jiahui's mother retired early and vacated her position, allowing Yao Jiahui to 'luckily' secure this job.
Otherwise, in major cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, the labour market is already filled with people waiting for work before dawn each day. If sanitation workers truly enjoy the benefits described in this report, wouldn't these unemployed individuals be competing fiercely for those positions?
Some netizens have raised concerns, particularly regarding the high physical demands of the job: starting work at 4:30 AM and working until 6:30 PM leads to significant physical exhaustion. While young individuals may manage this, what happens as they age?
Others worry that long-term engagement in purely physical labour could diminish their professional skills, making it harder to transition to a different career in the future.
However, many believe that in the current challenging employment landscape, the choice to set aside pride, support oneself, and achieve mental peace is a choice that deserves respect.
In the film 'I Live in a Half-Finished Building,' a male resident of a half-finished building, who is nearly fifty years old, remarked: 'We are truly forced into this situation... As long as we can survive, that is our greatest happiness.'
Indeed, some netizens have travelled to various cities to interview sanitation workers currently on the job. In the video released, it is evident that sanitation workers generally report having no days off throughout the year, working continuously from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the thirtieth, without a single day of rest. Their monthly salaries range from 800 to 1,500 yuan, and they lack social security, overtime pay, subsidies, and any benefits. Even when they are ill, they do not dare to take a break as long as they are able to move. Additionally, many groups of sanitation workers in different cities have protested to demand their unpaid wages, but each protest has been met with violent suppression by the authorities, and the news has been tightly controlled and unable to be released.
In contrast to these sanitation workers, Yao Jiahui, as depicted by state media, earns a monthly income of 3,000 yuan and also receives overtime pay, which is indeed quite 'fortunate.'
(First published by People News) △
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