The rescued workers are well taken care of at the police station. Liu Taiqing, from Jimo, is currently being further identified by the police in coordination with local authorities. Zhuang Wencheng, who resides in Songdong Village, Songzhuang Town, Changyi City, started working at the illegal workshop two years ago. His brother has now prepared to take him home. The scene of processing chicken blood.
On November 25th, the report on "wandering laborers" published in our newspaper caught the attention of many readers. Currently, the rescued wandering laborers have been properly settled, and the report also drew significant attention from relevant functional departments. In the afternoon of November 25th, the Publicity Department of the Pingdu Municipal Committee, the General Office of the Municipal Government, the Public Security Bureau, the Labor and Social Security Bureau, the Administration for Industry and Commerce, and Tianzhuang Town held an urgent meeting. At the same time, a joint investigation team was established to coordinate case handling. Investigations revealed that the black workshop had no business, environmental protection, or feed processing approval procedures and was suspected of illegal employment. Staff from relevant departments stated that they would soon carry out joint law enforcement actions to shut down this den.
■ Multiple Departments of the Pingdu Municipal Committee and Municipal Government Act Quickly to Thoroughly Investigate the Black Workshop
After the incident of illegal employment at the black workshop in Tianzhuang Town of Pingdu City was reported, the Pingdu Municipal Committee and Municipal Government convened the main leaders of units such as the Publicity Department of the Municipal Committee, the General Office of the Municipal Government, the Public Security Bureau, the Labor and Social Security Bureau, the Administration for Industry and Commerce, the Health Bureau, the Environmental Protection Bureau, the Quality Supervision Bureau, the Emergency Office of the Municipal Government, and Tianzhuang Town for an urgent meeting in the afternoon of November 25th.
The meeting required timely purchase of clothes, shoes, and other living necessities for the workers, free health check-ups, and proper arrangements for the lives of the migrant workers. At the same time, efforts should be actively made to find the family addresses of the workers and strive to contact their families as soon as possible. The Labor and Social Security Bureau and the Public Security Bureau will jointly act to investigate the work time and labor remuneration of each worker, ensuring that wages are legally and fully paid.
At the same time, the Public Security Bureau, the Administration for Industry and Commerce, the Labor and Social Security Bureau, and the Environmental Protection Bureau will form a joint investigation team to quickly investigate and handle the illegal and disciplinary violations of the black workshop according to law. In addition, Pingdu will immediately launch a special rectification campaign against illegal employment throughout the city to ensure that similar incidents do not occur again.
■ Labor and Social Security Bureau: Boss of the Black Workshop Suspected of Illegal Employment
"We came here after seeing your report." On the 25th day, Captain Liu, the head of the Labor Inspection Team of the Labor and Social Security Bureau of Pingdu City, also arrived at the scene. According to Captain Liu, this black spot operates without a license and is suspected of illegal employment. They just went to the police station to understand the situation. Since the police are investigating the matter, more details need to be further understood. Next, they will find the person in charge of the black workshop for investigation.
Subsequently, Chen Songjiang, director of the Feed Division of the Animal Husbandry Bureau of Pingdu City, told reporters that processing livestock products into feed requires applying for relevant procedures from the Animal Husbandry Bureau, but no related applications were received from the boss of the black workshop.
■ Administration for Industry and Commerce: No Procedures, Will Be Forced to Shut Down
When reporters revisited Dongliciabu Village, Tianzhuang Town, Pingdu City on November 25th, many villagers were discussing the matter. "It's really gratifying, finally shutting down this black spot," according to the villagers. This black workshop has existed locally for many years, producing a very strong odor. Every time there is a southeast wind, several nearby villages can smell it. Although many local villagers hate this spot, they dare to be angry but not speak out for fear of offending the boss of the black workshop.
"After reading your report, we took it very seriously, and we immediately sent people to investigate on-site," Wang, the director of the office of the Pingdu City Administration for Industry and Commerce, called this reporter on November 25th. They were extremely concerned about the "wandering laborers" report published in our newspaper on November 25th and were shocked by the behavior of the chicken blood black processing point in Dongliciabu Village, Tianzhuang Town. They will send staff to the scene as soon as possible.
Subsequently, reporters saw Li Shilei, deputy director of the Mencun Town Industrial and Commercial Office of the Pingdu City Administration for Industry and Commerce at the scene. He introduced that after preliminary verification, the processing point was an unlicensed and unregistered "black processing den". According to relevant regulations, fines of up to 20,000 yuan could be imposed for operating without a license, and it would be shut down. The industry and commerce department will take law enforcement measures such as sealing, seizing, and confiscating illegal items according to its functions. In addition, to prevent a recurrence, they will report to the local government and coordinate with power supply and other departments to take compulsory measures such as cutting off electricity to prevent similar problems from happening again.
In addition, the head of the Pingdu City Environmental Protection Bureau also arrived at the scene. "In such dirty, messy, and poor environments, we cannot issue environmental protection procedures for them." Wan Fangshan, director of the Mingcun Town Environmental Protection Office of the Pingdu City Environmental Protection Bureau, told reporters that the environment of this black workshop was extremely harsh and did not go through any relevant environmental protection procedures.
After research and decision-making, they decided to fine the black workshop 10,000 yuan and also cooperate with the industry and commerce department to forcibly close and shut down the black workshop.
On November 25th, after the Pingdu police rescued the wandering laborers, they immediately conducted individual investigations on the wandering laborers. After continuous work, four people expressed their original domicile, among which two have determined specific addresses. Zhuang Wencheng's brother has come from his hometown in Changyi to pick him up, while another person from Jimo named Liu Taiqing is currently being further verified by the police in coordination with the local area. The police are trying to confirm the identities of other wandering laborers and hope to reunite them with their families as soon as possible.
No Worries About Food and Drink for Rescued Persons
"These rescued workers live very relaxed lives inside the police station." On the morning of November 25th, reporters learned that these rescued wandering laborers are now living inside the police station. Every day, the staff of the police station specially goes to the market to buy food for them. Moreover, the police station specifically vacated two rooms for these people to stay in at night, allowing them to stay in the rest room during the day. They communicate a lot and occasionally joke around.
Reporters learned that on the morning of November 25th, Zhuang Wencheng's brother, Zhuang Wendeh, came to the police station and met his missing younger brother after two years. The two hugged each other and burst into tears.
Long-Lost Brothers Finally Meet Again
At around 6 PM on November 25th, reporters contacted Ma, the secretary of Songdong Village, Songzhuang Town, Changyi City. He said over the phone that Zhuang Wencheng usually kept quiet in the village. Although he was a bit abnormal and wandered around the village, he hadn't seen Zhuang Wencheng for nearly two years. These years, his brother Zhuang Wendeh had been looking everywhere for his younger brother's whereabouts, but there was no news.
"I never expected my younger brother to wander all the way to Pingdu and be forced to work hard by a ruthless boss." On the evening of November 25th, reporters reached Zhuang Wendeh by phone. He told reporters that they have five siblings, and he is the eldest. Zhuang Wencheng ranks third, and he is 44 years old. Their parents passed away ten years ago, and Zhuang Wencheng had been living with him all these years. He built two tile-roofed houses for his younger brother, who used to wander outside but stayed within the vicinity of the village and town center. They often saw him. "We haven't seen each other for two years, and we frequently search for him during our leisure time, but there was no information," Zhuang Wendeh told reporters. On the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2009, his younger brother left home and never returned. Later, they posted wanted notices everywhere, but they never saw him come back. They searched outside but found no trace. Now that they suddenly knew his whereabouts, they immediately rushed from their hometown.
"The police even bought them new clothes and arranged everything very well, and I am very grateful," Zhuang Wendeh told reporters. He originally wanted to take his younger brother home right away, but the police needed to process the paperwork, and he also ran a business at home, so he went back first. Once the police finish all the paperwork, he will immediately take his younger brother home for a reunion with their five siblings.
Police Are Finding Homes for Others
It is understood that the police station is currently using various channels to help the workers find their homes. Niu Laogen from Hubei Province can only say the name of his town and has forgotten the specific village, so they can only contact the town for now, making it difficult to determine the exact address of his hometown.
Similarly, Yang Changkui from Matou Town, Xiayi County, Henan Province, only remembers the name of the town, so it is currently impossible to contact his family. The investigating officers are actively communicating with them to try to obtain their specific addresses, then contact their relatives back home to reunite them with their families. There is also a deaf-mute person who cannot communicate, requiring someone who understands sign language to interact with him, hoping to quickly help these "wandering laborers" find their homes.
■ Rescue Station
Prepared to Properly Accommodate Workers
On the morning of November 25th, Deputy Director Yu of the Qingdao Rescue Management Station told reporters that they were also shocked after seeing our report and wanted to bring these wandering laborers to the rescue station for assistance.
Director Gai of the Social Affairs Division of the Pingdu Civil Affairs Bureau told reporters that they attach great importance to the resettlement of wandering laborers. Due to ongoing investigations by the police, they cannot yet send these workers to the rescue station. Once the police complete the materials, they will promptly and appropriately accommodate these workers.
"If they come, we are willing to provide all possible assistance; we have prepared meals and accommodations," Deputy Director Yu told this reporter multiple times on the evening of November 25th. If the wandering individuals are mentally sound, they can immediately help them buy tickets to return home; if they are intellectually disabled, after the public security department finds their home addresses, they can arrange staff to escort them home; for those whose addresses cannot be temporarily found, rehabilitation treatment can be provided until their physical condition improves, then they will be escorted home. "In short, we will make every effort to help these workers," Deputy Director Yu said.
Text and photos on pages A8-A9 by reporters Liu Xin and Huang Chao.