On December 18, 2023, in Shenzhen, Guangdong, there was an incident involving workers from China Construction First Engineering Co., Ltd. Two workers, in a state of desperation due to unpaid wages, resorted to sitting on the rooftop of a building as a form of protest. This act was a poignant illustration of the struggles faced by many construction workers in China, particularly amidst economic uncertainties and the complexities of the construction industry's payment and subcontracting systems.

The construction industry in China has been particularly prone to wage arrears, a situation exacerbated by the multi-tier subcontracting system prevalent in the industry. This system often leads to delays or failures in payment from higher levels down to the workers at the bottom of the chain. As a result, many migrant construction workers, who form a significant portion of the workforce in this sector, find themselves in precarious financial situations, sometimes waiting for extended periods to receive their due wages. These issues are not isolated incidents but rather indicative of systemic problems within the construction sector in China, where protests and strikes have become increasingly common as workers seek to assert their rights and demand timely payment of their wages.

The situation in Shenzhen is reflective of a broader trend across China, where there has been a notable increase in labor unrest and protests in the construction sector due to wage arrears and economic uncertainties. In many cases, these protests involve major state-owned enterprises, which are typically seen as financially stable. The rising number of such incidents points to a need for systemic change in the industry, including better regulation and support from labor unions to ensure timely and full payment of wages and benefits as stipulated by law.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the reports and analyses from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre​​, Cambridge Core​​, and China Labour Bulletin​​.