The Shenzhen municipal labor and social security bureau announced Tuesday seven hotlines for complaints about unpaid wages.

The hotlines are to support the three-month campaign of inspections of delayed salary payments launched by the municipal government Nov. 8.

The seven hotlines are 12333 for the Municipal Social Security Bureau (SSB), 2543-8399 for SSB in Luohu District, 8291-8291 for Futian District, 2666-5317 for Nanshan District, 2522-8431 for Yantian District, 2999-0000 for Bao'an District and 2891-7206 for Longgang District.

The hotlines were announced when Guan Genlin, director of the municipal labor and social security bureau, guest host an phone-in radio program called Public Opinion Bridge on Shenzhen Radio.

During Tuesday's program, there were more than 100 phone calls and 1,193 mobile text messages complaining about unpaid wages.

An employee from an investment company complained that he and other workers had been required to work overtime every day for only 1 yuan (US$0.12).

A mini-bus driver surnamed Xu told the program 3,000 yuan had been illegally deducted from his salary after he handed in his resignation letter. He also found that his employer took out 230 yuan every month in social security fees but had transferred only 84 yuan into his social security account.

Employees from factories in Bao'an District complained they had only three holidays a year and the factories prepared fake pay sheets for the delayed wages inspection.

(Shenzhen Daily November 18, 2004)