OnJune1,2007,theStandingCommitteeoftheShanxiProvincialPeople'sCongressapprovedalocaldecreeentitledtheRegulationsonProtectionoftheRightsandInterestsofMigrantWorkers,whichbecameeffectiveonJuly1,2007.TheRegulations,thefirstlocallegislationofitskindeveradoptedbyaChineseprovince,immediatelyfollowedexposureofsomeshockingcasesinwhichhundredsofmigrantworkersfrompoverty-strickenruralareas,includingjuniorandmentallyretardedcitizens,wereheldinvirtualslaveryatillegally-runbrickworksintheprovince.InthecurrentChineseterminology,'migrantworkers'refertorurallaborerswhoareseekingabetterlifebytakingpermanentortemporaryjobsincities.FollowingisaninterviewgivenbyYuYoujunontheRegulationsandtheslavelaborscandal.YuwasgovernorofShanxiProvinceatthetimeoftheinterviewandwasappointedvice-ministerofcultureshortlyaftertheinterview,inAugust2007.
