After several days of deliberation and repeated discussions with workshop director Lao Ma, Master Wang Jianguo, and several trusted team leaders, the draft of the "Trial Implementation of the Quality Reward and Punishment Method for Excessive Piecework Calculation in the Machining Workshop" led by Liu Li was finally posted on the bulletin boards of each work section in the form of a workshop notice.
The moment the notice was posted, it caused an uproar, like a red-hot iron thrown into cold water.
The workers crowded around the bulletin board, craning their necks to read the words. Their voices mingled together, a cacophony of chatter, questions, and exclamations.
"What? You can get extra money for working fast and well?" A young fitter's eyes lit up as he pointed to the clause about "paying bonuses per piece for exceeding the approved working hours, with extra rewards for high-quality work," his tone excited.
"Dream on! Did you even look at it?" A veteran worker next to him frowned and retorted loudly, "It says on the back, 'If defective products are found, basic working hours will be deducted'! 'If the equipment stops abnormally due to improper operation, bonuses will be deducted'! This isn't a reward, it's a noose around our necks!"
"Exactly! Before, if you worked steadily, at least you'd get your full salary at the end of the month. Now, they're forcing you to work like crazy, and if you make a mistake, you have to pay compensation! What kind of logic is that?" Someone immediately chimed in.
"Who sets these 'rated working hours'? If they're set too high, we'll work ourselves to death and still not finish. If they're set too low, won't that just benefit those quick-handed youngsters? If we old folks' eyesight fails and our hand speed slows down, won't we starve?" an old milling machine operator with gray hair said worriedly.
"Exactly! Doesn't this encourage opportunism? Who would want to do those time-consuming and laborious tasks?"
"Isn't this just like the capitalist 'material incentive' approach? Won't we make a mistake?" someone asked in a low voice, with political concerns.
The workshop was immediately divided into several distinct factions. A few quick and skilled young workers were eager to try, believing that they finally had the opportunity to earn more for more work; most of the older workers, who were used to following the rules and preferred stability to chaos, and the moderates strongly opposed it, believing that it was a disguised form of exploitation, increased risk, and broke the "fairness" that had been established for many years; and a group of people adopted a wait-and-see attitude, secretly calculating their own interests, but dared not easily express their opinions.
The opposition quickly gained momentum and found a breakthrough. Led by Zhang Degui, a respected veteran fitter who had once directly questioned Liu Li, more than a dozen older workers jointly wrote a letter of opinion and submitted it directly to the desks of workshop director Lao Ma and deputy director Liu Li. The letter was strongly worded, arguing that the method was "out of touch with the masses," "unilaterally pursued efficiency while neglecting the fundamentals of safety and quality," and "undermined the unity of the working class," and strongly demanded that the factory rescind the method.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the factory. Workers in other workshops were also buzzing with discussion; some were watching the spectacle, some were gloating, and others secretly hoped their workshop would follow suit. The factory leadership had clearly heard the commotion. The factory director specifically called Liu Li to his office, not to criticize her, but to ask meaningfully, "Comrade Liu Li, the method is good, but have you considered the public's reaction? You need to pay attention to your approach; stability is paramount."
Pressure was mounting from all sides for Liu Li, who had only recently taken office. In the workshop, the previously polite gazes now held scrutiny, dissatisfaction, and even a hint of barely perceptible hostility. When she inspected the workshop, she could clearly sense that discussions in certain areas would abruptly cease, replaced by silence and evasive glances.
Zhang Shulan privately approached her and worriedly reminded her, "Lily, there are all sorts of things being said down there, and they're saying some really nasty things. They're saying that you've forgotten your roots now that you're in a position of power, and that you're trying to climb up by stepping on your coworkers! You'd better be careful."
Even after Fu Jingchen got off work, he looked worried: "Reforms always touch on vested interests, and it's normal for them to cause a backlash. But the opposition seems stronger than expected. Should we... slow it down for now? Or just pilot it in a few specific work groups?"
Standing by the office window, watching the dispersing crowd and the workshop below, now back in operation—though with an unsettlingly dull atmosphere—Liu Li pressed her lips tightly together. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the excitement of facing the workers' questions, but her eyes remained unusually firm.
She knew that taking this first step would inevitably be fraught with difficulties. The ice of egalitarianism had been frozen for too long, and any attempt to break it would provoke a fierce backlash from those who had benefited from the status quo and those who were accustomed to it.
"We can't back down." She murmured to herself, as if encouraging herself, or responding to all the doubts and pressure. "Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back."
This controversy sparked by the "bonus" is the first severe test of her management wisdom and political acumen. She must withstand the pressure and find a breakthrough; otherwise, not only will this reform fail, but her future authority in the workshop will also be completely lost.
The storm had arrived, and she had no choice but to face it head-on.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com