Before the eruption of the Yellowstone volcano, Rockhampton was just a small city in Australia, with a population of less than 100,000. To the east of the city was the famous tourist destination Capricorn Coast and the diving mecca of the Great Barrier Reef.
However, in the past ten years, Rockhampton has experienced a major explosion. Its population has increased by more than 30 times, and it has become the fifth largest city in Australia, second only to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. .
The reason for such outstanding results is mainly due to the Carmichael Coal Mine.
As we all know, the Carmichael Coal Mine is the largest coal mine in Australia, with an annual production capacity of 230 million tons, and is the largest source of coal in the country.
Its importance is even more important than Sydney.
Therefore, Rockhampton attaches great importance to this strike from top to bottom, which is also the main reason why the officials are unwilling to use force to clear the site.
Soon, the negotiating team of the miners branch met the top leader in Rockhampton and the chairman of Dongneng Group: Shen Xiuwen.
President Baron quickly stepped forward and held the other person's hand, apologetically saying:
"Mayor Shen, we have no other purpose in doing this. We are just to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the miners. Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way."
Shen Xiuwen smiled bitterly: "President Baron, can't you learn from other cities? We are the only one with the strongest momentum on the entire east coast."
"Mayor Shen, we have no retreat."
"You can't blame us for this. It's because your officials are too unreasonable and bullying."
"Mayor Shen, although you are the mayor, don't forget your other identity. You are also the chairman of our Dongneng Group, so you should be on our side."
The people in the negotiation team were furious.
Shen Xiuwen quickly waved his hand: "Don't get excited, everyone. Sit down and drink tea first. I believe we can definitely find a solution that has the best of both worlds."
"Yes, yes, we are all our own people, let's sit down and talk slowly." President Baron immediately echoed.
Immediately afterwards, Shen Xiuwen led everyone into the conference room. Everyone drank tea and talked about old times, and then they couldn't wait to start negotiations.
President Baron got straight to the point: "Mayor Shen, Chairman, I won't tell you any lies. We only have one condition, and that is to retain the miners' union."
"This is really difficult to handle! I believe you all know that the miners' union has been banned from above. We can't follow suit and fight against each other, right?"
Shen Xiuwen felt that his head was as big as an ox.
"Chairman..."
Barbara couldn't help but speak.
Shen Xiuwen waved his hand and interrupted directly: "Don't call me chairman. I am negotiating with you as the mayor now. Don't get confused."
"Okay!" Barbara nodded, and then said kindly: "Mayor Shen, if the Federation of Trade Unions really can't keep it, then we hope to keep the branch. If the bosses are afraid of losing face, we can change the name."
"This is not a question of whether to change the name or not. I won't hide it from you. The governor sent a document overnight last night, requiring all localities to completely eliminate illegal trade unions."
Shen Xiuwen explained helplessly.
President Barron frowned: "Can't we be accommodating? We can make a commitment that we will not hold strikes or initiate salary negotiations in the next three years."
"No, the consul's attitude is very firm, there is no need to discuss this matter." Shen Xiuwen shook his head.
One of the negotiators couldn't help but interject: "Can we join the official union?"
"Of course you can, but you can only join as workers. As for management, don't even think about it. You have been blacklisted and your chances are slim."
Shen Xiuwen replied.
"What? Blacklist? This is simply personal discrimination. We are going to the Supreme Court to appeal."
Barbara almost exploded with rage.
Everyone else also had angry faces.
When Shen Xiuwen saw this, he immediately shook his head: "Don't bother, that blacklist won't appear in any official documents, and you won't get any evidence.
Besides, even if you find evidence, it probably won’t be of much use. We’re still in a state of emergency, and the Supreme Court can’t do anything to the consul.”
"It's so ridiculous. I didn't expect that in just a dozen years, the Federation would turn into what it is today. No wonder the governor dares to be so unscrupulous."
Barbara couldn't help but be disappointed.
President Baron then sighed deeply:
"Mayor Shen, I would like to ask a question, does the new trade union have no effect and is just a decoration?"
Shen Xiuwen hesitated for a moment and finally nodded: "I don't want to deceive you. The existence of trade unions is a long-standing problem. It will pose a very big threat to social stability. The higher-ups have long wanted to take action to rectify it."
"Threat? This is too ridiculous. Can we just be a screw and be deprived of the opportunity to fight for our legitimate rights and interests?"
Barbara said almost hysterically.
President Barron quickly reached out and pulled Barbara, hoping that the other party could control his emotions. They were here to negotiate, not to quarrel.
If roaring can solve the problem, then just choose a donkey as the consul, which is guaranteed to be more reliable than humans.
Shen Xiuwen tried to comfort him: "Barbara, don't be angry, I understand your mood, but things are far from as simple as you think.
To be honest, the higher-ups have no choice but to do this. Our most important task at the moment is survival, and everything else must be put aside..."
"Mayor Shen, I don't agree with what you say." Barbara said unceremoniously, "You are violating human rights. If human rights cannot be protected, then what's the point of living? Isn't it like a walking dead?"
"Barbara, I hope you can understand that living is the greatest meaning. If you ignore life like you do, that is the greatest human rights disaster."
Shen Xiuwen spoke sincerely.
"Mayor Shen, don't speculate on other people's thoughts. I don't care about life. Don't change your ideas." Barbara retorted loudly.
Hearing this, Shen Xiuwen finally showed his impatience: "Barbara, I don't want to discuss human rights issues with you anymore. Let's go back to the previous topic. In short, the union must be banned. This is non-negotiable."
"We don't agree. If Mayor Shen insists on having your own way, then from now on, we will not only continue to strike, but also go on a hunger strike."
As soon as Barbara finished speaking, everyone at the scene shouted: "Hunger strike, hunger strike, hunger strike..."
Shen Xiuwen immediately turned his attention to President Baron and said seriously: "President Baron, is this a collective decision of your union?"
Facing Mayor Shen's question, President Baron had no way out and could only nod his head.
Shen Xiuwen didn't want to come to this point, so he persuaded patiently: "Don't make a decision in a hurry, why not listen to the city's opening conditions first?"
"Mayor Shen, please tell me, we will seriously consider it." President Baron quickly expressed his position.
Barbara showed disdain.
As for the other members, some were full of expectations, while others were worried, and they were also divided into two groups.
Shen Xiuwen didn't take it seriously and introduced in detail:
"There are three main conditions in the city. The first is to help you solve your work problems. Dongneng Group can provide you with corresponding jobs. You can rest assured that these positions are full-time workers;
Secondly, the city will actively promote your demands for an eight-hour working day and more public rental housing during this strike to ensure your satisfaction;
The last one is that the city will join hands with Dongneng Group to jointly set up a relief fund, and all employees who have difficulties in life can receive assistance."
"Mayor Shen, I'm sorry, we are not profit-seeking people, no matter how good your conditions are, we will not agree to it," Barbara rushed to express her position.
"If you don't think about yourself, you have to think about your family." Shen Xiuwen played the emotional card.
"Mayor Shen, let me reply to you with a famous saying from Daxia, \u0027 A scholar may be killed, but not humiliated\u0027."
Barbara said with a determined look.
Shen Xiuwen didn't waste any more words and walked away directly. The group of people in front of him were all radicals, and there would be no good results if the conversation continued.
…
Back in the office, Shen Xiuwen immediately reported the results of the negotiation to the governor on the phone.
Zhang Hao did not make a decision easily, but repeatedly confirmed: "Is there really no chance?"
"Archon, as the mayor of Rockhampton, I also want to resolve this matter peacefully, but judging from the current situation, there is little hope."
Shen Xiuwen couldn't help but sigh.
"Do you think their hunger strike plan is real? Or is it just a show?"
Zhang Hao asked immediately.
"I'm afraid it's true. They are idealists at best, but at worst... they are just rocks in a pit, smelly and hard, and it is difficult to change their minds." Shen Xiuwen held back his anger.
Zhang Hao said cautiously: "Mayor Shen, besides clearing the area by force, do you have any other plans?"
Shen Xiuwen shook his head: "Consul, in fact, it is not difficult for the union leaders like President Baron to solve the problem. After all, as long as we are human, we will have weaknesses."
Zhang Hao nodded subconsciously. The top leaders of the Federation of Trade Unions used this method to solve the problem.
Shen Xiuwen did not pause and continued:
"The real difficulty is that those who are participating in the strike, numbering tens of thousands, have already begun a hunger strike. We don't have much time left."
Zhang Hao frowned, and then changed the subject: "Mayor Shen, I'm a little confused. There are so many cities in Australia, why is Rockhampton the most troubled? Is there something behind this?"
"Speaking of the inside story, there is actually quite a bit of it."
Shen Xiuwen smiled bitterly.
"What's the inside story?" Zhang Hao quickly asked.
"Consul, you must have heard that about ten years ago, in order to develop Australia, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Energy jointly held an auction..."
"Not only do I know about this, but I also personally participated in it. If I remember correctly, the Carmichael Coal Mine seems to have been taken over by the Dongneng Group, right?"
As early as ten years ago, Dongneng Group was the largest coal company in the federation, and it is difficult to forget.
"You remember correctly, it is indeed our group."
Zhang Hao immediately reacted: "I almost forgot, Mayor Shen, you are also the chairman of Dongneng Group."
"I am the chairman in name only. I usually focus on my work as mayor."
Shen Xiuwen explained casually.
In fact, it is very similar to Sydney. Rockhampton is also a logistics city serving coal mines. However, Sydney has dozens of coal companies, large and small, while Rockhampton has only one, and that is Dongneng Group.
In order to better serve Dongneng Group.
As the head of the group, he naturally took on the role of mayor, but later as the city grew larger, he completely turned to politics.
"You keep talking."
"Executor, although Dongneng Group has acquired the Carmichael Coal Mine, it is Australia's largest coal mine after all. In order to raise construction funds, the group finally accepted part of the capital from local Australian businessmen.
It is under the influence of these investors that the Carmichael Coal Mine did not introduce large-scale Southeast Asian miners, but mainly Australian locals and local immigrants, with both sides accounting for almost half."
"Let me tell you, why are you resisting so fiercely? It turns out this is the stronghold of the Australians."
Zhang Hao suddenly realized the truth.
It all makes sense.
Shen Xiuwen took a deep breath, and then took the initiative to admit his mistake: "Consul, this was a mistake on my part. I didn't expect the Australians to have bad intentions..."
"I don't blame you for this. At that time, the federal energy was in short supply. In order to speed up the development of Australia, it was understandable that you introduced investors."
Zhang Hao immediately comforted him.
"Regardless of whether I am responsible or not, I need to deeply reflect on this matter. I plan to introduce more Southeast Asian immigrants in my next work and cannot allow Australians to continue to be arrogant."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Shen Xiuwen took the opportunity to talk about remedial measures.
Zhang Hao was noncommittal. He only thought of remedying it now. It was already too late. The population structure of a city with more than three million people cannot be changed in a short time.
However, having remedial measures is better than doing nothing at all, so he encouraged casually:
"Don't be anxious, take your time. I heard that Australians are very discriminatory towards Southeast Asians. Try not to cause disputes. What is needed most right now is stability."
"Consul, I understand, what should the union do?" Shen Xiuwen asked tentatively.
"We can't wait any longer. We must strike hard to prevent other cities from following suit." Zhang Hao paused for a moment and then ordered on the spot: "Give them five hours to think about it, and the area will be officially cleared after five hours."
"Five hours? Isn't it too little?"
"It's quite a lot. Five hours is enough for them to discuss and come up with the result."
"Okay! Then this law enforcement standard..."
Zhang Hao said without hesitation: "It's up to you. I have only one request, and that is that before I go to work tomorrow, I want to see the news that the strike has subsided."
"Consul, if you want to successfully complete the mission, you may have to use real guns and live ammunition. Only in this way can you deter all those with ulterior motives."
Shen Xiuwen said without hesitation.
He himself came from that chaotic era and was no stranger to it. He had even personally directed similar operations, so he had no psychological burden.
But having said that, the consul really has double standards. Just now he was saying that stability is above all else, but now he has taken the initiative to stir up disputes.
Zhang Hao knew that he couldn't back down at this time, otherwise he would fail, so he thought:
"Remember what I said, no matter the cost."
"Yes, I promise to complete the task."
Shen Xiuwen solemnly agreed.
Zhang Hao nodded with satisfaction and finally reminded: "If you don't have enough people here, I will arrange for support from several surrounding cities."
"Consul, no need, I have confidence."
Shen has a good way to repair bras.
After all, Rockhampton is a large city with a population of more than three million, and there is no shortage of armed forces.