LANZHOU, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Seventy-seven sanitation workers, who went on strike over low wages on Monday, have resumed work in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, according to local government sources on Thursday.

    Li Yongzhong, deputy head of the Lanzhou City Urban Management and Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau, said they were striving to pay the workers in full as quickly as possible.

    The 77 sanitation workers had resumed work, Li said.

    "We hope to increase wages for sanitation workers in the long run, but it takes time to set a new standard," Li said.

    The 77 sanitation workers of Chengguan District went on strike on Monday morning because they have not been paid in full.

    A sanitation worker, who declined to give his name, said he had been paid 420 yuan a month since June, including 60 yuan of environmental protection bureau subsidies. But in October, he only received 360 yuan.

    In August, Gansu Province raised the minimum wage for employees to 430 yuan (53.75 U.S. dollars) per month from 360 yuan.

    Li said the reason that sanitation workers had not been paid in full is that August's wage increase was not included in the 2006 budget, which was drafted last year.

    Li said they would further investigate sanitation workers' workloads and pay rates in order to set a more rational wage standard.

    A local newspaper earlier put the number of striking workers at over 100.

    Sun Yuping, an official who administers sanitation workers in Chengguan District, said 40 workers did not take part in the strike.

    The government pays sanitation workers, who provide a public service.

    The central government has asked local governments to set the minimum wage in light of their financial situation. Beijing recently raised the minimum wage to 640 yuan monthly from 580 yuana month. Enditem