Migrant workers who helped build modern China have scant or no pensions, and can’t retire

By KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China’s first generation of migrant workers played an integral role in the country’s transformation from an impoverished nation to an economic powerhouse. For decades, they have come from farming villages to find work in the cities, toiling in sweatshops and building apartment complexes they could never afford to live in. Now, they’re finding it hard to find work, both because they’re older and the economy is slowing. Most have scant or no pensions and minimal health insurance, so they need to keep working. Some officials have proposed ways to help, such as relaxing age limits for jobs and making it easier for older people to find work through labor markets and online platforms.