America 1881: Legend of the West

"What? General strike? Chinese workers? Why do they have it?"

After listening to the supervisor's report, Manager Riley was a little unbelievable.

After so many years in the coal mine, this was the first time he heard about a strike by the Chinese trade unions.

"This is ridiculous. How could the Chinese workers go on strike?" Riley muttered.

However, at this time, another burst of noise came from the other side of the river.

Riley and the overseer rushed out of the house again and climbed up the hill.

"What are they doing?" Riley looked at the workers gathered in front of the Knights of Labor Hall.

He felt like he was going crazy!

The supervisor looked in that direction carefully, and he found that more and more workers who had resumed work were coming out of Mine No. 6.

"Hey, boss, I guess we've witnessed history." The supervisor said something he couldn't usually say, "It seems that the Chinese workers have united with the white miners."

Riley said nothing, the look on his face was pained.

He doesn't want to witness history, he just wants to receive a salary and be an honest manager.

He had just sent a telegram to the headquarters more than an hour ago, telling the headquarters that there was no big problem here.

In Manager Riley's opinion, this is the best outcome.

The conflict was successfully brought to bear on the Chinese workers.

The Chinese workers may have suffered some losses, but this does not prevent them from continuing to mine coal for the company;

As for those white miners, just continue to curse those Chinese workers! Do it or not.

However, the situation has changed now, and the most unexpected situation has appeared for him.

Manager Riley had to rewire headquarters.

First, give yourself a slap on the face to show that the telegram from an hour ago was pure nonsense.

Then tell the gentlemen sitting in the office:

They will have to face a joint general strike!

"Boss, what should we do now?" The supervisor looked at Riley helplessly.

"We'll wait for the union to come to us." Riley is quite experienced. "They will probably make demands on us soon. We can just hold off for now while waiting for a reply from the headquarters."

He pointed at the supervisor: "If the headquarters is willing to delay, then we will delay. I really don't believe how these people can support their families without jobs."

Sure enough, Hawley and Hanks showed up at Riley's office the next day.

Also coming with them was Liao Dabai.

"Our demands are written here!" Holly handed a piece of paper to Riley.

"First of all, we demand that the original labor price be restored from four cents to five cents per bushel (measurement unit, 35.238 liters) of coal dug."

"Secondly, we demand that the hours of forced labor be reduced. The current way of working has caused great harm to our bodies!"

Hawley lucidly recounted the union's demands to Riley, point by point.

These requirements were agreed upon at a meeting.

Chen Jianqiu did not show up. He seemed to be busy with other things. Li Sifu took the boat to the other side in his place and attended the meeting.

Riley smiled and nodded throughout the whole process, looking kind and approachable.

"No problem, I will report this to the headquarters, but I still hope everyone can return to their jobs! After all, the company is a whole."

Riley said frankly.

"You can only earn money by wielding the mining hoe. We still have to take the overall situation into consideration."

Holly had no intention of saving face for the manager.

He stood up straight away:

"Sir, I can tell you clearly that this strike is about unity."

He took out a telegram and slapped it on the table.

"From San Francisco to Kansas City, every Pacific Coal Mine on this railway line will go on strike! If you cannot meet our demands, then I personally guarantee that not a single worker will return to work!"

Holly stared into Riley's eyes.

Neither side has the intention to compromise, and naturally it is impossible to reach an agreement.

The union members turned and walked out of the cabin.

Looking at their backs, Riley sneered.

Now it depends on whether the headquarters is willing to bear the losses of the shutdown.

It is unrealistic to expect all workers to be monolithic. If the time goes on for a while, some may not be able to endure it.

Let's see.

Liao Dabai and Hanks are also a little worried about this issue.

The wages of Chinese workers have been severely deducted. If the strike continues, it will mean that they have to rest on their laurels;

Although the income of white miners is much higher, they often have families. If their income is cut off, the family will soon be in trouble.

You can't ask everyone to be willing to hold on.

They told Hawley of their concerns.

Hawley said only one thing: "Mr. Chen said he would solve these problems."

The two followed Holly out of Mine No. 3 with suspicion.

It's evening.

Chinese workers in Shiquan Town sit in their dormitories or in front of their houses.

After coming to the United States, these people almost never have time for themselves, let alone what leisure is.

At this time, some of them were chatting; some were cooking dinner; and some were digging out stones from the ground and playing games like children.

Suddenly, a young miner shouted loudly.

He sat on the barrel where Sean had crawled before and looked in the direction of Carbon County.

"Boss Chen is back!"

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed.

Sure enough, several flatbed carriages with cloths behind them appeared on the only road.

Chen Jianqiu, holding a piece of grass in his mouth, sat on the shaft of the first carriage.

The carriage quickly stopped in the open space of the residential area.

Chen Jianqiu jumped down.

"Open it!"

He greeted Li Sifu.

Li Sifu and several Chinese militiamen walked quickly to the carriage and lifted the canvas covering the carriage.

The car was filled with bulging bags.

Chen Jianqiu untied one of the bags and put his hand in it.

When he took his hand out of the bag, it had turned white.

Chen Jianqiu opened his palms.

"Wheat flour!"

The Chinese worker next to him exclaimed.

Chen Jianqiu stuffed the flour in his hand back into the bag and tied the mouth again.

"Everyone, please rest for two days. Here are some flours." He pointed to the two carriages behind. "There are potatoes there. Various vegetables and meat will be delivered later."

"If Pacific Coal Mining Company is willing to spend money, then we will spend it with them. I want to see whether their losses are greater or ours."

Chen Jianqiu looked at the hillside where Manager Riley was.

Manager Riley and the supervisor actually stretched their heads and looked at themselves.

"By the way, Sean, send some to the other side of the river by boat. There aren't many things, but it won't be a big problem if it lasts for more than a week." Chen Jianqiu called Sean and gave instructions.

On the hillside, Riley was fuming.

He didn't even think about it, but he didn't expect that these Chinese workers actually got food and planned to fight the Pacific Coal Mining Company for a long time.

The question is, where did they get the money to purchase the materials? !

He kept scolding his mother in his heart:

This group of Chinese workers are really bad guys and they run away. They either don't go on strike, or if they go on strike, they use their savings to risk their lives.

As for?

Now these Chinese workers in front of them have food and guns, so why do they stop working? Just grab the coal mine.

Thinking of this, a chill ran down Riley's spine.

This group of Chinese workers belonged to a group beyond his cognition, so he had no way of guessing what they would do.

no! We have to notify the headquarters quickly and ask them to send people to protect the coal mine!