Beijing Olympics - A Bird's Nest View

BEIJING, China, June 6, 2007— -- Looking down on the Beijing National Stadium, known as the "bird's nest" because of its bands of steel that resemble twigs and branches, one can see brightly colored hard hats rushing around the stadium at breakneck speed.

With little over a year left before the Olympic Games begin, constructions workers are busy building and polishing for China's most anticipated event: the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

The flagship venue of the Olympic games is the National Stadium. It is where the Olympic Torch will be lit and where sprinters will set world records before over 90,000 fans and millions watching from around the world.

But before the records are broken and medals are awarded, thousands of migrant workers will complete the construction. Who exactly are these migrant workers and where do they come from?

Unlike the United States, they are not locally hired. China has more than 120 million migrant workers. In the construction industry, it is estimated more than 70 percent of the workers are former farmers.

Most migrant workers in China's large cities come from poor rural areas. Those interviewed inside the National Stadium are no different.

Approximately 5,300 migrant workers make up the force behind Beijing's Olympic construction. Many hail from Henan, China's most populous province. A quick survey of hometowns produced enthusiastic echoes of "Henan! Henan!" throughout the Bird's Nest.

Almost all construction workers here are men, although one steelworker pointed out, "There are women here too, there aren't many but there are more than one or two."

Few women work as migrant labourers due to the nature of the job - workers go home twice a year or less, so typically the father leaves town to find work while the mother stays behind to care for the children and - in traditional homes - grandparents too.

These workers at the National Stadium make an average of 1,500 Chinese Yuan a month. That adds up to less than two hundred U.S. dollars per month, or less than 2,400 dollars per year. "I send nearly all of my money home," said Mr. Zhang, who lays rebar and pours concrete. He has been working at the Olympic Park for over a year, "I'm supporting my wife and child."