See the articles in SCMP that unfortunately describe too well the plight from construction workers, often unpaid, often beaten up while police and officials turn a blind eye.
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1450123/construction-workers-pay-price-chinas-rush-development
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1450122/migrant-construction-workers-lowest-low
Welcome to “Communist” China where workers are exploited at times as bad as before 1949. Armies of thugs (well paid obviously) rule the sector while the police looks on and the officials pocket the bribes. Those workers are modern-day slaves, third-rank citizens with other migrants being the second-rank citizens, trying to make a living in the cities, without a hukou, without an employment contract, without right to education and healthcare for the family. And they can forget the dream to buy a modest apartment in the city, being faced with ever increasing rents by greedy landlords. Then Beijingers complain it is hard to find service people.
Now, as a foreign company, just try not to sign contracts with your staff, or pay no social security, or even just shout at your workers. No answer needed. In the meantime, during the “Lianghui” a lot of blabla. I can’t but deeply despise all those fake socialist officials. Worse is that while foreigners mostly treat their workers better, many Chinese become anti-foreigner and want us out. Many of the old expats are leaving in disgust. This is China 2014.
While I am not yet seriously thinking about leaving, the attitudes of the new rich, their despicable arrogance and ultra-nationalism, the ignorance among the young netizens (Putin is good, Obama is bad etc.) do shock me. Of course you can always find some foreigners who behave badly but that is still a minority.
Many of the “Old China Hands” miss the time when Chinese people were nice, cared about each other and had friendly attitudes towards the foreigners. There are still many “nice Chinese” but the amount of “Ugly Chinese” is growing unabated.
So sad.