Women's Federations in Zhejiang, E China, Facilitate Hubei's Workers to Return to Work

As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the hard-hit province has been greatly eased, workers from Central China's Hubei Province began to leave hometown to return to their jobs in other places across the country through chartered buses and trains.

The first group of migrant workers from Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, in Hubei, arrived in Yuhang and Xiaoshan districts of Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province, through chartered buses on March 19.

The first chartered poverty alleviation train carrying 1,071 migrant workers from Enshi arrived in Hangzhou on March 21. These migrant workers possess health codes that would exempt them from observing the 14-day quarantine rule once they arrive as Hangzhou and Enshi recognize each other's health codes.

The women's federations at all levels in Zhejiang Province have made every effort to facilitate the work resumption for migrant workers from Hubei.

On March 15, Fang Yong, secretary of the Party branch of Songjiawu Village of Qiandaohu Town in Hangzhou, received a call from Wang Juan in Xianning, a city in Hubei, who asked whether she was allowed to come back and reopen her small commodity market in the town of Hangzhou. Fang immediately reported Wang's request to the Women's Federation of Qiandaohu Town. 

The town's women's federation contacted Wang and introduced related policies to her. After learning about her needs and anxiety, the federation contacted Wang's landlord and helped solve the problem of her residence in the village.

Assisted by the federation and relevant departments, Wang resumed work on March 18 and her life returned to the right track.

More and more migrant workers from low risk areas of Hubei Province have returned to Cixi City in Zhejiang.

Qunfeng Community in Baishalu Sub-district has 196 registered migrant workers from Hubei. Members of the executive committee of the community's women's federation took the responsibility of the epidemic prevention work targeting at the migrant workers. They informed the migrant workers' landlords and employers to pay attention to and care for the returned workers. The members also helped register the information of the returned workers and provided them with considerate service.

Cao arrived in Cixi from her hometown in Hubei on March 17. Lu Jianjun, secretary of the community's Party committee, and Zhao Liying, president of the community's federation, accompanied her and her family members to register their information with the community. Then, Cao and Cao's family were arranged to be quarantined in the isolation site of the community.

The next morning, the community was informed that people from low risk areas of Hubei can be isolated at home according to the city's new policy. The community staff contacted Cao's family immediately, and arranged vehicle to send them back home.

Later, Cao sent a letter to express her gratitude for the warm and thoughtful work of the community's federation. "I hope I can resume work as soon as possible and make my contribution to the construction of the city," Cao said.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)