For the first time, two migrant workers will receive the honor of China's "May 1st Labor Medal" at the Shanghai Science Hall today.

One of the two migrant workers is Hong Gang, 31, a senior welder with the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd. Hong, from neighboring Zhejiang Province, has been working at the shipbuilding company since July 2001.

The other migrant worker winning the award is Jin Weiguo, a fishing director with Shanghai Kaichuang Deep Sea Fisheries Co Ltd.

Along with them, 46 local workers have won this year's honor for the national "May 1st Labor Medal" through public votes. Of the workers, more than 60 percent work at the front line, while business managers only account for 6.5 percent of the total, according to the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions.

The proportion of first-line workers who receive the labor awards has been rising, trade union officials said yesterday. The ages of the model workers range between 29 and 71 years, and the average age is 46 years.

Zhang Hongwei, a make-up technician at the Longhua Funeral Parlor, is among those being honored. The 44-year-old is regarded as one of four people in the country who have mastered the antiseptic face-lifting skills of the funeral industry. He has been in the industry for more than 20 years.

Meanwhile, five migrant workers have won the city-level honor of the Labor Medal this year. There are 99 workers being recognized with city awards -- front line workers also account for more than 60 percent of this total.

Du Renwei, vice president of the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions, said the number of migrant workers eligible for the honor had increased with more farmers moving to the city and taking up industrial jobs. Migrant workers were previously excluded from the honor as they were not permanent residents of Shanghai.

The annual "May 1st Labor Medal," together with the Shanghai Model Worker honor, which is awarded every three years, is intended to reward workers for their outstanding performance and contribution to society.

Those making innovations in their work were a focus this year, said Peng Jianming, director of the economic division of the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions.

(Shanghai Daily April 28, 2008)