A skilled worker in a workshop of Jack Sewing Machine Co Ltd. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

Taizhou, a manufacturing hub in Zhejiang province, has become the first city in China to unveil regulations designed to enhance the treatment of skilled workers.

The regulations, approved during the ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress held on March 29, are scheduled to be enforced from July 1 onwards.

The new regulations are poised to provide legal safeguards for the well-being of 1.34 million skilled workers in Taizhou, constituting approximately 20 percent of the city's total population. This workforce is recognized as a pivotal element in the city's potential to expand its middle-income demographic and bolster the common prosperity drive in Zhejiang.

One of the key provisions of the regulations is to encourage companies to reflect the value of technical expertise in their salary structures, thereby empowering skilled workers to enhance their earnings through various channels, including participation in technological innovation achievements, receiving position-based bonuses, and equity allocation. 

According to a survey conducted by the Taizhou human resources and social security authorities, the average annual wage of skilled workers in Taizhou reached 68,349 yuan ($9,446.45) in 2023, demonstrating a year-on-year increase of 7.8 percent, surpassing the growth rate of the local per capita disposable income during the same period.

Ruan Fude, chairman of Jack Sewing Machine Co Ltd, said, "The promulgation of these regulations will help reinforce the idea that skilled workers are invaluable assets to companies and are integral members of the enterprises they serve."

Jack Sewing Machine, a company with a workforce of over 4,000 skilled workers, has seen more than 20 patents originate from the innovative efforts of its frontline workers.