Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1061 Labor Union Formation and Arson Judgment
In the city of Suzhou in the Jiangnan area, the first handicraft trade union was formally established. After a month-long election, worker representatives and business representatives were elected to form the handicraft trade union, which became a platform for employers and employees to negotiate labor disputes.Both parties try to resolve the issue with minimal violence.

"The Labor Law grants all legal citizens the right and obligation to work, and all employers have the right to hire labor freely and set wages no lower than the minimum wage according to law. Please represent your own interests and live in peace. I don't want any more Violent incidents like the burning of textile factories happened again." Chen Hongmi, the prefect of Suzhou, personally presided over the first general meeting of the craftsmen's union.

Although Chen Hongmi did not have to bear the main responsibility for the incident of the textile factory workers burning the textile factory, he was more or less held accountable by the Jianghuai provincial government, which made Chen Hongmi feel uncomfortable.

The reason why workers went on strike in Suzhou City was because the textile industry in Suzhou City was the most prosperous, and the conflict between labor and capital was also the most intense.

The business representatives and worker representatives present sat on both sides of the square table and listened to the attitude of the government.

"For the representatives of the trade union, elections are held once every three years, and they can be re-elected for up to three terms." Chen Hongmi also announced some important regulations of the trade union, so that these representatives representing the interests of workers and businessmen know that the government standardizes the handling of labor conflicts Determination.

"We understand, but what if the employers threaten us with dismissal to force us to compromise?" A worker representative asked worriedly.

"Any laborer needs to sign a contract with the employer before working. If there is no legitimate reason to violate the contract, it will be considered a violation of the law. Those who have not signed the contract will be sentenced according to industry practice, so you can go to the government if you are threatened, or File a complaint directly with the Suzhou court. There are records in these labor laws, and you can go back and read them intensively.” Chen Hongmi said.

The worker representative who asked the question scratched his head in embarrassment: "The villain is illiterate, and he was elected by the brothers of the textile factory because of his loyalty..."

A group of business representatives frowned slightly. It turned out that a bunch of illiterate mud legs would be negotiating with them in the future.

"Illiterate people can go to worker training classes to learn culture after working every day. Literacy is a very important thing, and it may bring you great achievements in the future. Workers can also become managers and even you yourself will have After getting the capital, you can start some small businesses and gradually grow bigger." Chen Hongmi said.

"Worker training class?" The worker representatives asked in amazement.

"Yes, the trade union will hire teachers to start literacy classes in designated places to help workers who are willing to learn cultural knowledge to read and write. This fee will be paid from the union funds, which can be regarded as a benefit to the workers." Chen Hongmi said.

"Can we bastards still be able to read and write?" Very few of the worker representatives could read and write, so they couldn't help but feel worried.In their view, literacy is a very difficult thing, and many people even did not even go to private school since they were young, and they can't write their own names.

If it were not through elections, they would not be qualified to sit here and have an equal dialogue with representatives of the wealthy Suzhou businessmen.

"Nothing in the world is difficult for those who have a heart. The hardships you have worked in workshops and factories, I am afraid that you have to learn more than words. If you can't even read, how can you fight for the rights and interests of the workers behind you through the labor law? ?" Chen Hongmi prodded.

"It is true that we should learn to read, otherwise we will not even be able to understand the law, and it would be too shameful to be a representative." The workers' representatives looked at each other and felt the contempt of the business representatives for them. Shame on being illiterate.

Chen Hongmi nodded slightly. As the saying goes, if you know your shame, you will be brave. If the people under your rule learn from him, he, the magistrate who serves as a civil affairs officer, can also benefit to a certain extent.

Business representatives still scoffed at this, as if they didn't think illiterate workers could achieve anything.On the one hand, they hope that the quality of workers will be improved to improve production efficiency. On the other hand, they are worried that workers will become more difficult to control after they are literate.

Although full of worries about the future, the news of the official establishment of the workers' union quickly spread in Suzhou City, and almost all the textile workers cheered.The textile industry in Suzhou City is the most developed, and the worker representatives in the handicraft union are mainly textile workers. They are the main beneficiaries of this strike movement, and they have had their own backers since then.

In addition to formally electing trade union representatives, the trial of the prisoners involved in the burning of the textile factory was also held in Suzhou City, the birthplace of the strike.

The local court in Suzhou City began to hear the case. The prefect of Suzhou Chen Hongmi, the general Wu Zhicai, and a group of influential people in Suzhou City appeared in court as the jury.

"The arsonist violated the law and committed the crime of arson, destruction of public property, and crime of infringing on other people's property. He was convicted and the principal offender, Wu San, was sentenced to death. From five to 20 years."

"For the losses caused by arson, the Suzhou government will first compensate all the losers this time. If similar cases occur in the future, the losses will be jointly compensated by the government and the corresponding trade unions."

The judge of Suzhou City made a judgment, and his judgment will affect the judgment of similar cases in future generations.

"They fought for the rights and interests of our textile workers. It is too much to be sentenced to death like this!" Some textile workers who supported Wu San protested outside the court, feeling that the punishment was excessive.

In addition to these textile workers who supported Wu San, the family members of the arrested arsonist cried outside, and the jury in the court was also greatly affected.

Chen Hongmi, Wu Zhicai and others looked at each other in blank dismay. It seemed that the textile workers in Suzhou City were not satisfied with the verdict.However, if there is a compromise, some people will follow suit in the future, which may cause even bigger disturbances.The difficulty of the current sentence is that the arson incident did not cause casualties, but pure property damage.If the death penalty is imposed due to casualties, then I am afraid no one will object.

"Suzhou City has the strongest commercial atmosphere, and the people's minds are also the most open-minded. I am afraid that the verdict will be revised again." Chen Hongmi said to Wu Zhicai in private.

The sentence of the Suzhou court was adjourned temporarily due to the protests of the workers, and after the negotiation of all parties, the first second trial was held, and Wu San was sentenced to life imprisonment.For relatives of prisoners, the government will guarantee a minimum standard of living for them.

(End of this chapter)