China's labor unions need to improve their services for jobless migrant workers hit by the economic slowdown, said the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) on Sunday.

The transfer of migrant workers' membership back to unions in their home towns needs to be improved, and unions need to provide vocational training, small-business loans, and entrepreneurship programs to boost reemployment, ACFTU said.

ACFTU also urged labor unions at all levels to perfect management and attract as many migrant workers as possible, especially those among the 20 million jobless workers who are likely to remain in their home towns after the Spring Festival.

The union would strive for a net increase of five million members from migrant workers in 2009, ACFTU said.

ACFTU demanded more protection of migrant workers' interests amid the global financial crisis.

"China's labor unions will urge employers, especially state-owned enterprises, to offer stable jobs and pay full wages to their workers in time," said Xu Zhenhuan, vice chairman of ACFTU.

ACFTU figures showed that of China's 200 million migrant workers, 66 million had joined labor unions.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2009)