“Manager Zhao, Manager Zhao, something bad is happening……”


  “Something happened in the workshops?” Manager Zhao stood up. It would be bad if something happened at the workshop just after the Lunar New Year.

  “No, the workshops are fine. All the productions are going on smoothly.”


  Manager Zhao sat down again and took a sip from his teacup: “Why are you shouting when all the workshops are operating smoothly? What happened? Tell me.”


  “Manager Zhao, please take a look at our factory’s entrance.”


  “There’s someone who had come to our factory to create trouble?” Manager Zhao frowned. Who dares to create trouble outside FAW’s factory? He had settled all his workers’ salaries, and he had announced a pay increment starting in March. Who would still create trouble for him?

  “No one is creating trouble. Someone is recruiting workers at our factory’s main gate!”


  “What did you say? Recruiting?” Manager Zhao had an “unbelievable” expression on his face. Who would recruit workers from FAW? With the benefits, the factory gave the workers, who would want to leave? All this while, it was FAW hiring workers and never had it been others coming to FAW to hire workers!

  When Manager Zhao walked to the main gate, he saw the security guards arguing with some strangers.

  “What’s happening?”


  “Manager Zhao, these people are too much. Look at their banner!” The security team leader Ye said.

  Manager Zhao raised his head and look at the banners.

  “Bing City’s Machinery Company is hiring experienced workers.”


  “Workers who had retired early and below the age of 55 are welcome to apply.”


  “Hired workers will be getting salaries higher than the workers in FAW.”


  “Lodging will be provided for workers.”


  “Benefits will be scaled to your experience and ranks.”


  ……


  Manager Zhao’s hands were shaking from his anger. This Bing City Machinery Company again! What are they trying to do? Doing recruitment at my doorsteps? This is too much!

  “Confiscate all their banners!” Manager Zhao roared.

  “What are you all doing? This place is outside of FAW property, and you have no right to stop us. I will call the Police.” The Machinery Company’s new Deputy Factory Manager of the automobile factory, Ma Aiguo shouted at the security guards.

  Call the Police? We are the ones who wanted to call the Police!

  Security Team Leader Ye also knew that his security guards can only exercise their power within the property. Once outside the factories, only the local Police can stop them. However, no one dared to stop them in the past when they enforced their powers outside of their main gates. But today, someone had pointed this out, and he starts to hesitate. These people were not nobodies. They were from the higher management of a big company!

  “Ye Linhua, what are you waiting for? I asked you to tear down their banners!” Manager Zhao shouted.

  “Manager Zhao, don’t you think your FAW is too domineering? We cannot even recruit workers for Bing City’s Machinery Company?” Ma Aiguo stood in front of the banners.

  “Recruiting workers? You still dare to call this recruiting? Your Bing City does not have enough workers? Why must you recruit workers in front of FAW? Are you trying to poach our workers? What are you thinking?!”


  “It’s my freedom to recruit workers from anywhere I want. Why do you care? Furthermore, how can you say I am trying to poach your workers? Look at these banners. We did not mention about FAW.” Ma Aiguo retorted.

  Before Ma Aiguo came, he was instructed by Feng Yu and Li Mingde. FAW must not be mentioned in the banners, but the FAW workers must understand the underlying meaning at first glance.””


  He was instructed to blow things out of proportion, as the news will travel faster this way. But under no circumstances, they cannot use their fists. If the other party tries to use force, run away. Feng Yu will help them to take revenge!

  He can recruit those early retired workers and the second generations of the workers. But he cannot hire the current FAW workers.

  Ma Aiguo promised to complete this task. He will recruit at least 30 experienced workers, and the workers will be at least grade 4. He brought along over ten men with him and went to Ji City’s FAW main gate in two minivans.

  Ma Aiguo purposely chose the time when the workers were changing shifts. Many of the workers were not staying at the factory’s dormitory. Once they left the factory, they saw the banners.

  Ma Aiguo had used loud hailers to shout out Bing City’s Machinery Company’s requirements and benefits. Although he had attracted a few relatives and some workers who were not working that day, he also drew the attention of the security.

  Ye Linhua thought that there was an accident outside the factory due to the crowd. If the accident involves FAW workers, then he must step in. He cannot allow FAW workers to be bullied by others.

  When he got closer, he realized that it was Bing City’ Machinery Company doing recruitment. He was furious!

  But he lost in an argument with Ma Aiguo and could not chase him away. Ma Aiguo was from the Machinery Company’s promotion department, and his specialty was in doing promotions. He was eloquent, and Ye Linhua only knew how to scold and beat people up. How could he win Ma Aiguo in an argument?

  Ye Linhua saw Manager Zhao, and he was instructed to tear down the banners, but he dare not to do it as it would be an abuse of his authority. If the other party were an ordinary civilian, he would surely do that. However, the other party was a Deputy Manager. He might get into trouble.

  Manager Zhao pointed at Ma Aiguo: “You are recruiting retired workers, and you are standing outside FAW main entrance. What else do you have to say?”


  Ma Aiguo slowly said: “Manager Zhao is not familiar with the law? I did not write that on the banner. These are what you assumed. Of course, if your retired workers want to join my factory, I can’t help it too. You cannot blame me for that. Maybe Manager Zhao can go back to FAW and announce to all your workers that they cannot join Bing City’s Machinery Company. Even if they have to starve or die from poverty, they also cannot join.”


  Ma Aiguo argued with Manager Zhao for a while, and Manager Zhao could no longer tolerate him. Manager Zhao turned to Ye Linhua and asked him to use his handgun. He will take responsibility if anything happens. Ma Aiguo immediately asks his men to keep all the banners and drove away.

  Manager Zhao was unaware that during his argument with Ma Aiguo, someone had secretly distributed leaflets to some of his workers. Now, a lot of his workers knew about the Machinery Company’s recruitment.

  The next day, on the desk of FAW workers’ Union Chief, were a large stack of early retirement applications. What was happening? Why so many people were applying for early retirement out of a sudden. This worker is 54 years’ old and the retirement age is 55. You can’t even wait for a year? There is a big difference in the pension of early retirement and normal retirement. This worker is only 34 years’ old. Do your family even have someone to take over your position?

  The Union chief asked his secretary and found out what happened. These people wanted to get the pension for early retirement and then work at Bing City’s Machinery Company. The distance between both places is not far, and they can return home on their off days. Furthermore, the Machinery Company is offering a higher salary than FAW!

  Manager Zhao was furious when the Union Chief and all the workshop directors went to look for him! This Bing City Machinery Company was too shameless!

  “All applications for early retirement will not be approved! If any of the workers are unhappy about this, stop their salaries! Also, no one is allowed to talk about that stupid Bing City company in the factory compound. If anyone dares to spread any news about that company, stop his pay!”