The number of express delivery parcels can be considered a pretty good barometer of a country’s economy. China’s express delivery market has become the biggest worldwide and continues to boom. Statistics showed that China’s total express delivery volume reached 30 billion items in 2016 with a 50 percent growth year on year which has accounted for half that of the world, generating an estimated 800 billion yuan (US$116bn) in revenue. It is undeniable that China’s burgeoning e-commerce market is boosted by the express delivery industry which boasts more than 1 million employees. Nevertheless, 90 percent of delivery personnel are not protected by a formal contract and the majority of them have to work overtime without compensation thanks to the fierce price wars and fall in profits in the industry. For express delivery workers, the poor working conditions and pay have continued to affect the healthy development of the whole industry.
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