"Shenzhen commits to compensate protesting pneumoconiosis workers", 14 November 2018

More than 200 migrant workers from Hunan left Shenzhen...after the municipal government finally agreed to compensate them for their occupational lung disease, pneumoconiosis, contracted while working in the city’s construction sites back in the 1990s.

The workers agreed to a provisional arrangement whereby they will receive 2,000 yuan for medical fees and 2,000 yuan for living expenses each month until a final mutually agreed compensation package is worked out. Family members of deceased workers also received 2,000 yuan, to be paid each month until the agreement is finalized.

...The workers demanded to be compensated...of pneumoconiosis severity, and without the need to prove a previous employment relationship in Shenzhen.

Most of the workers never signed labour contracts with their employers back in the 1990s when they were working in construction sites in the booming southern Chinese city...

When their demands fell on deaf ears, the workers and family members occupied the building until the evening of 7 November when police in riot gear were deployed to break up the protest. As clashes erupted, police used pepper spray and some of the protestors were injured…

The officials promised to come up with a final compensation proposal as soon as next month. Although some of the workers were initially not confident Shenzhen authorities would fulfill their promise once they left, they finally all agreed to end their protest and return home…