Yin Chenglin [Photo by Qiu Quanlin/Asianewsphoto]

"I walk around the street more often than other workers – just to find and clean trash left,” Yin said.

Yin, 50, from Hubei province, is a sanitation worker in Guangzhou, a position he has held since he came to the southern city two years ago.

"Most men from my hometown, even those as old as me, have come here to find work. The working conditions in big cities like Guangzhou are better – you have several days off and you are given subsidies on special days,” he said.

The local government has increased the salary for sanitation workers by almost 20 percent since May, following a series of strikes for better treatment early this year.

Working eight hours a day allows Yin to earn 2,700 yuan ($436) a month. In summer, he is also given about 150 yuan a month in heat subsidies.

"My son is also working here. But I don’t need to depend on my child for a living. Most importantly, life is getting better as I can spend time with the family,” he said.