Empire of Shadows

Over the weekend, Debbie (director of the textile workers’ office of the Likalai State branch of the Labor Federation) gave Lance a call. She wanted to have a talk with him.

Lance had her come directly to his office. A gang was not a formal business. There was no such thing as not working on the weekend.

Debbie had come in the morning. Most companies would have too many important things in the morning. She was worried that Lance would have other things in the afternoon.

This was not her first time in Lance’s office. Lance had received her at the entrance of his office.

”Please sit.”

Lance did not have her sit in a chair. That would make this conversation too stiff, too formal. Instead, he had chosen to sit on the sofa, which was not so formal.

A girl brought over coffee and small pastries. Debbie took a sip of the coffee, her brows relaxing as she praised it.

The coffee was indeed good, because the price was high enough.

”If you like it, I’ll have them pack some for you to take back,” this was not a question, but an affirmative sentence that had already been decided.

”I’m not very keen on coffee, but they say these are all hand-selected coffee beans. Everyone who has drunk it says it’s not bad.”Debbie did not refuse and said a word of thanks.

”Lance, the Labor Federation is promoting a strike and parade and demonstration during this period. Their real target is you,” she took a deep breath, held it in her chest, and stated her purpose for coming here.

Lance nodded slightly. ”I’ve heard some of it,” he looked at Debbie with a hint of inquiry and curiosity in his eyes. ”I remember you are also a member of the Labor Federation.”

Debbie did not deny it. After all, this was a fact, and no one could change it. ”I have lived in Golden Port City for many years and have contributed a lot to the textile industry of this city. I don’t want it to become a sacrifice for some people to play politics.”

”We should be a little purer, not like now, where our mouths are full of politics.”

Lance did not believe what she had said. The ambition and desire of these people from the Labor Federation had begun to run wild under their uncontrollable power. Lance believed that if it were possible, Debbie would also be more active in participating.

Seeing that Lance was not speaking, Debbie could only say with a bitter smile, ”Actually, I... they actually don’t understand Golden Port City at all, and they don’t understand you, Lance.”

”I have been in Golden Port City for so many years. I am like a Golden Port person, so I am very clear about what kind of a person you are.”

”I don’t want to cause trouble!”

Lance nodded slightly. ”Are some of the workers in my factory also going to participate in the strike?”

Debbie was very embarrassed. ”That’s right. I have already warned them that this has nothing to do with us, but you know that some people’s minds are not entirely on production.”

This was also the reason why the Labor Federation wanted to establish a workers’ party, because there were too few ”positions” in the Labor Federation.

For example, in the Likalai State branch, each industry office had only one director and two or three staff members. There were too many people who wanted to become a part of the middle and upper levels, and to fly up into the sky while the situation was good.

The Labor Federation could not provide more management positions for them to become a person of a higher class, so they were thinking of promoting the establishment of a party. Such a party could provide more positions for them, and there was also a chance to obtain political power.

In Debbie’s description, there were also some of the more famous workers in the textile industry of Likalai State—

In order to increase their influence, the Labor Federation would have its own newspapers and magazines. On each issue of the magazine, some of the very outstanding ”star workers” of the region would be introduced, and their outstanding work ability and deeds would be introduced.

Some people could still work peacefully after being introduced, but some people, after being introduced, could no longer work quietly.

Debbie had not let the workers under her participate in any strike activities, because she was very clear that this was tantamount to a direct confrontation with the interest groups of Golden Port City.

Just look at the fate of those who had been against Lance in the past few years.

They were either locked up and disappeared from people’s sight, or they had inexplicably disappeared and could no longer be found.

No one had been able to stand against Lance and persist until now. Debbie herself could not do the things that those big shots could not do.

She didn’t want to die!

But the people under her were thinking of using this strike to once again show off, and some people had even begun to covet her position.

The more she was restrained and low-key, the crazier those people became. In addition, the textile industry itself was also a heavily affected area for the unions. Some capitalists were also in contact with Lance about the supporting issues, so they had taken the opportunity to launch it.

Lance, after listening to her relatively direct inner true thoughts, had also said some of his own thoughts about the Labor Federation, and even that the Labor Federation might deliberately provoke Lance.

To this, Lance had all given a positive, and a response of thanking her for revealing the news.

”Please rest assured, Ms. Debbie. I have already understood what you mean.”

”I can guarantee that no matter to what extent this strike develops, and in what way it ends, we will always be friends.”

”We were in the past, we are now, and we will be in the future!”

Seeing Ms. Debbie breathe a sigh of relief, Lance walked to the door and asked, ”Pack two pounds of the coffee beans we are drinking, and pack them well.”

As he spoke, he returned to the side of the table, took out an exquisite envelope, walked back to the side of the sofa, and handed it over. ”A shopping discount coupon. You should be able to use it.”

Originally, Ms. Debbie had thought this was ”cash.” She had wanted to refuse, but when she heard it was a discount coupon, she had changed her mind and had said ”thank you.”

Soon the coffee beans from outside were delivered, and a bag was also prepared very thoughtfully. Lance put all the things in and handed it over.

He knew that the chat was over. Ms. Debbie had also stated her purpose, and Lance had also felt her sincerity. This was enough.

”I’ll see you out,” Lance, without allowing any refusal, had seen Ms. Debbie to the door. She had driven here herself. Otherwise, Lance would have had someone drive her back.

After saying goodbye again and again at the door, Ms. Debbie had finally left and had returned to her car.

After saying these things, she let out a big sigh of relief, and at the same time, a look of pleasure appeared on her face.

Those people were always so two-faced, always eyeing her director position. Well, good — now they’ve got no future.

Based on her understanding of Lance, these people would not have a good end.

When she was in the office before, her heart had been beating very fast. There was a high probability that she knew what would happen to these people. These people had died because of her ”betrayal,” which had made her feel some burden, some condemnation, on her conscience.

But now she felt much better. As long as you let go of your personal morals, you can enjoy a beautiful life.

When she had returned to her own detached house, and had taken out the bag with the coffee beans, she had only then remembered that Lance had also sent a discount coupon.

Her job income was very high. There were always some factories that needed to hire some skilled female workers, and now the Federation’s economy was on the rise, and the number of newly built textile factories was increasing.

If these factories wanted to get skilled workers, they had to find her.

And to find her, you definitely had to spend money.

She was not very willing to accept Lance’s cash, mainly because she was still a little afraid. She didn’t want to have too much contact with Lance, nor did she want to appear too unfamiliar. She had to maintain a not-so-distant, not-so-close distance.

When she had taken out the discount coupon, she still couldn’t help but show a look of amazement.

A one-hundred-for-one-thousand discount coupon for the Lawrence Supermarket, for all product types!

On the other side, Lance had given Ryder (the old tailor’s son-in-law, the current general manager of Lance’s garment factory) a call to inquire about the matters of the garment factory.

The call was quickly answered. The outbreak of war had caused the production of many of the people’s livelihood in the countries affected by the war to stagnate. For example, in Slad, less than 30% of the enterprises that were still producing daily necessities.

Other enterprises were all producing military supplies, or producing goods that were of positive use to the war.

In addition, with the instability of all walks of life, and the soaring prices in the country, on the contrary, the Federation’s side was not affected by the war, and the prices remained stable.

So they, instead of manufacturing themselves, or buying expensive domestically produced goods, would rather just get their goods from the Federation.

Lance’s factory had also gotten many orders. The schedule was already scheduled for three months later.

Every day, the factory was producing at full capacity. Although the weather was not yet warm, the factory was also full of workers in short sleeves.

”Boss?”

When Ryder heard Lance’s voice, a smile involuntarily appeared on his face. The business of the company was good, and the commission he got was also more. What was more important was that this matter had a sense of accomplishment!

The factory had been expanded several times, and now there were also more than a thousand workers. Ryder was also planning to continue to expand to meet the demand of more orders.

After the two had chatted for a few sentences, Lance had put the problem on the workers. ”I hear from Debbie that some of the workers in our factory are also going to participate in the strike?”

Ryder was stunned for a moment. ”I have seen some of them mention these things, but it seems that not many have responded. I have to ask.”

Originally, his mood was not bad, but at this moment, it was gone.

He knew very well what a strike would bring, because he was also a person who was down-to-earth in running a factory. Once the production was affected, soon there would be a problem with the orders.

The inability to deliver the goods in time would bring a large amount of claims for breach of contract, and all the subsequent order schedules might have problems.

This also meant that if he could not resume production in a short period of time, he would have to consider completely giving up two or three orders to meet the subsequent order production in advance.

Although the year had just begun, the factory would definitely have a loss this year!

Ryder came out of his office and walked towards the factory building. It was almost noon at this time, but it was not yet time for a break. However, he saw some of the workers at this time were not at their work posts, but were chatting outside the factory building.

He knew all these workers. They were all the skilled workers who had been transferred from the Labor Federation in the first batch.

Everyone in this line of work knew very well that these ”master workers” were the core of the textile industry. Their job was to make a sample for the things produced by the whole workshop, and to do the basic production.

Then the other workers would produce and assemble the parts according to the ones they had produced.

Although they would not always be engaged in production work, to so brazenly run outside was also not very good.

The workers had also seen Ryder. They did not greet him, but just watched from a distance, lacking respect for the boss, which also made him realize that the situation Lance had talked about did indeed exist.

After he had gotten closer, a high-level worker in charge of cutting among these people took the initiative to welcome him. ”Manager...”

Ryder stood in front of them with his hands on his hips. ”What are you guys talking about here?”

”Have you finished your production tasks for this morning?”

These skilled workers looked at each other, and none of them spoke up.

Only the cutting worker said with a not-so-much-a-smile on his face, ”Manager Ryder, we just so happen to have something we want to talk to you about. Why don’t we go to your office?”

Ryder shook his head. ”Just here.”

The worker shrugged. ”Alright.”

”We have recently come to believe that our income is not equal to our contribution, Mr. Ryder.”

Hearing this sentence, Ryder’s anger grew quite a bit. ”I just gave you all a raise after the New Year!”

The worker said with a smile, ”It’s already April.”

”So?”

A very-deserving-of-a-beating expression appeared on the worker’s face. ”So it’s time for a raise. And our income is lower than the industry average, Manager Ryder. This is not reasonable!”

He then talked about a ”Labor Vocational Grade and Industry Wage” report that the Labor Federation had published this year. It mentioned that in the textile industry, the income of high-level laborers of their level was much higher than their current income.

These people now basically earned sixty or seventy a month, but their current demand was about eighty.

The industry average wage they had published was actually not standard. Could the income and consumption of an advanced region and a backward region be the same?

Can the income of a worker in a western region, and a worker in a southern or a strong industrial region in the central Federation, be completely the same?

But the workers didn’t think so. They felt that they had paid the same labor, so they should have the same pay for the same work.

But it was clear that this was impossible, so this was often the time when a union or a labor federation would appear.

They would talk with the factory, and then the factory’s side would raise the wages a little more as a price, to appease the workers. The union would once again expand its influence, and could even profit from it.

This time, just after a raise, they were asking for another raise. They were just using this opportunity to cause trouble.

Ryder looked at them, very unhappy. ”I thought we were friends.”

He himself had been of the same class as these people before. He could also be considered a worker who made clothes by hand. It was only after he had met Lance that his identity had changed.

He would give these workers a raise every year. Although it was not much, in Golden Port City, it could also be considered to be at the forefront of income.

But their current appearance had made Ryder very heartbroken.

One of the workers in charge of setting the type shook his head. ”You are a capitalist, and we are workers. We can’t be friends!”

The worker who was talking to him said in a slightly threatening tone, ”If you can’t agree to this request, then we can only use some of our own means.”

He pursed his lips and showed a smile. ”A strike.”

Ryder took a few steps back. He gave him the finger. ”Fuck you, go on strike then!”

”Remember, this is fucking Golden Port City!”

As he spoke, he took two steps back, turned and returned to his office, and told Lance what had happened here.

”These people are just trying to provoke me. The salary they have proposed is simply not reasonable. And I just gave them a raise of a dollar and fifty cents!”

Ryder felt that he had been let down, and his tone was also full of resentment.

Lance, on the contrary, comforted him with a grin. ”Don’t be so angry. Write down their names. They will regret it.”

”You have to do a good job with the other workers. We also have some people in the factory. Talk to them. Tell them not to get involved with those troublemakers.”

”But you don’t have to be so difficult. If they also decide to go all the way with these people, then let them be.”

”Tally it up, how much of a labor shortage there is. I’ll arrange it for you on my side.”

Ryder said ”hmm.” ”I’ll figure it out.”

There were many Empire immigrants in the factory. Although at the beginning the Labor Federation’s side had required a very high proportion of skilled workers and federal workers, with the repeated expansions, the number of Empire immigrants in the factory had later caught up.

These people had been working here for several years. Some of them with good abilities had actually also reached the standard of a skilled worker.

If it was just a matter of losing these skilled workers, Ryder was not very nervous. If it really didn’t work, he could also step up, and his father-in-law’s side also had better-skilled tailors.

The main thing was the ordinary workers. They were the ones who represented the real production capacity of a factory.

On Monday, the Labor Federation’s side had given Lance another call to ask if he had considered it clearly, and if he wanted to explicitly confront the Labor Federation to the end.

Lance had given them a clear answer. Wanli Labor Introduction would temporarily not sign any workers with a union background, and this did not violate any of the laws of the Federation.

There is no law that requires a worker to join a union, and there is no law that requires that only a union worker can work.

The last communication between the two sides had ended in failure. From the tone of their words, both inside and out, that they wanted to have a go with Lance, made Lance a little unable to laugh or cry.

Mayor Williams had also called, saying that the Labor Federation had also contacted him, hoping that he could come forward to stop this farce of the labor introduction agency, but he had refused.

This was a market and an individual enterprise’s behavior, and had nothing to do with the government.

This also determined that the major strike would soon come.

Then for several days, more reporters had come to Golden Port City. They had already gotten the wind, and even Senator Cleveland had taken the initiative to call over to inquire about this matter.

The position of Golden Port City was very special, and a special event was about to break out. He needed to find out.

”I hear they are going to have a major strike in Golden Port City?”

The senator asked very directly, and Lance also answered very directly. ”Yes, it’s still the same thing as last time. They feel that I am destroying the foundation of the union and the labor federation, so they are demanding that I give up doing this.”

The senator knew about this matter. He had also encouraged Lance to fight to the end with the Labor Federation, with the union.

”How is it? Are you confident you can solve this?”

”I hear there are many reporters over there. Your men might not be of much use.”

Lance laughed out loud and replied, ”Senator, there’s no need to worry. In two days at most, the strike will be over!”

Senator Cleveland’s tone also became a little more relaxed. ”Then I’ll be waiting for your good news!”