Migrant workers who were constructing the residential area surrounded the building they built to wait for solutions. Commercial Journalist Wang Chunsheng/photographed
Migrant workers who could not get their salaries helplessly "tracked" the foreman Zhu, blocking him in his car to demand wages. Commercial Journalist Ding Jie/photographed
Yesterday, Zhengzhou held a large-scale public welfare activity called "Winter Warmth - Wage Recovery in Progress" to assist migrant workers facing issues of unpaid wages. However, multiple incidents of wage recovery by migrant workers took place on that day. In the morning, more than a hundred migrant workers blocked the road to demand their wages, causing a "intestinal obstruction" on the North Ring arterial road, resulting in long queues of vehicles.
â– Commercial Journal Intern Wang Shiyu, Journalist Wang Wenkai
Incident
Migrant workers demanding wages on the overpass caused traffic congestion on the main road
At around 10:30 AM yesterday, the commercial journalist drove towards the North Ring. Starting from Xuzhai Road, the speed of vehicles heading west to east on the North Ring gradually slowed down. Vehicles going up to the North Ring Overpass were lined up one after another, forming a dragon-like queue hundreds of meters long, with many drivers honking their horns to vent their frustration.
At the intersection of North Ring and Huayuan Road, more than a hundred migrant workers crossed the railing, gathered onto the North Ring Road, unfurled white banners, and completely blocked the vehicles.
A woman with a Sichuan accent was very agitated, loudly arguing with the staff of the Beilin Road Office. "As long as I can get the money back, even if I get executed, it's fine." This woman claimed her surname was He, and she was demanding wages on behalf of more than 600 migrant workers from Guangyuan, Sichuan who came to Henan. If the wage recovery failed, they would continue to block the road.
After receiving the alarm, the Fifth Detachment of the Zhengzhou Traffic Police arrived at the scene to "alleviate the congestion." A traffic police officer surnamed An told reporters that they arrived at the scene at 9:40 AM to maintain order.
Mr. Shao, a security patrol team member of the Beilin Road Police Station, introduced that these workers started blocking the road at around 8 o'clock. "They blocked the road several times, and after being persuaded down, they went back up again shortly."
Statements
More than 600 migrant workers' wages were owed, and multiple appeals were fruitless
The migrant workers blocking the road caused traffic paralysis. Upon seeing the reporter taking photos, the migrant workers blocking the road finally descended from the overpass under the persuasion of the staff.
Ms. He said that blocking the road was an inevitable move. She claimed to be the accountant of Henan Hongda Construction Labor Company. Due to Henan Aerospace Construction Company owing wages to more than 600 Sichuan migrant workers, feeling "helpless like orphans," they had no choice but to block the road.
Mr. Wu, also from the company, spoke more passionately: "I know that 'blocking the road' is an illegal act, but unless we break the law, we won't get our money."
Ms. He introduced that they signed a labor subcontracting contract with Henan Aerospace Construction Company, responsible for the construction of a residential area on the North Ring. However, since entering the site in January 2008, Aerospace Construction Company has consistently delayed payment for the project. If migrant workers needed money, they could only "borrow" from the company, and their wages were never settled. "Since January 2008, Aerospace Company still owes us 4.92 million yuan in wages."
Ms. He said that after multiple negotiations, the delinquent party ignored them. On January 28, she had visited the Zhengzhou Construction Committee's arrears office and office, and had also visited the Beilin Road Office multiple times, but each time they were told to negotiate with the construction company. However, the vice president in charge of Aerospace Construction Company, Mr. Mao, refused to show up.
"I feel like a ball, kicked here and there," Ms. He said.
Accounting
"Blocking the road" for wage recovery wasted society about 25,200 hours
The North Ring is a major transportation artery, and from 8:00 AM yesterday until noon, it was intermittently blocked by migrant workers demanding wages.
After on-site measurements by the commercial journalist, when traffic flowed smoothly, approximately 70 vehicles passed through the North Ring Road per minute, about 4,200 per hour. If blocked for 2 hours, approximately 8,400 vehicles would be affected. If each vehicle had an average of 3 people, and each person wasted an average of 1 hour, this would waste society about 25,200 hours. The cost of wasted police resources is immeasurable.
Mr. Zhuang, a citizen working near the North Ring, opposed this "blocking the road" method of wage recovery. He believed that migrant workers should follow legal channels to recover their wages and should not block others' cars. If blocked for a whole day, the wasted social costs would be enough to cover the owed wages.
An officer surnamed An at the scene told reporters that these citizens had already blocked the road three times. If they continued, it would constitute a serious illegal act. Around 11:20 AM yesterday, the secretary of the Beilin Road Office arrived at the scene, and four representatives including Ms. He negotiated with the secretary.
Currently, the labor supervision department has intervened, and the incident is under further investigation.
Helpless Blocking
The issue of wage recovery brought two groups of migrant workers together
One group searched in Zhengzhou, the other in Xinzheng, finally "encircling and intercepting" the same foreman
They shared the same foreman and similar experiences in collecting debts. To find the foreman, the two groups of migrant workers formed an "alliance." One group sent people to stake out at the foreman's house for seven days, finally meeting him. When the other group heard this, they also rushed over.
The result yesterday was that one side received a payment promise, while the other side was still negotiating.
â– Commercial Journalist Xingjun
One Group of Migrant Workers
"To get money, we resorted to harassment," guarding for seven days finally met someone
At around 11:30 AM yesterday, at the intersection of Jingba Road and Renzhaibei Street in Zhengzhou, more than 30 people surrounded a car, emotions running high. A middle-aged man sat inside the car, his facial expression unclear.
To prevent the person inside from getting out, the car owner, Xu Youjun, locked the car.
Xu Youjun is a small contractor leading dozens of people to undertake projects. The man inside the car is the debtor.
"He still owes me 420,000 yuan for the project, and another 100,000 yuan loan hasn't been repaid," Xu Youjun said. He has 87 workers under him, coming from Zhumadian, Xinyang, Anyang, and other places. From the start of construction to now, they haven't received a single penny.
From the contract copy provided by Xu Youjun, on May 22, 2009, he signed a contract with Henan Xin Feng Construction Installation Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Xin Feng Company), undertaking the "Residential Building Project of Qingzhen Meat Industry Company of the Agricultural Reclamation Bureau," responsible for civil construction and plastering, located in Yuanyang.
With the New Year approaching and workers wanting to go home, to recover the wages, Xu Youjun and his team repeatedly sought out foreman Zhu Xiangqin, using every method possible. They followed him persistently; when he ate, they ate with him, and when he worked, they followed him, but always got shaken off. For the sake of wages, both sides played a game of cat and mouse. Since Zhu didn't answer his phone, Xu Youjun dispatched more than ten people to stake out near Zhu's house every day. A few days ago, they waited outside the house but saw no one; knocking on the door, no one answered. Later, when the door opened, they went inside to wait. Thus, they waited for seven days, finally meeting the person.
Therefore, they took Zhu Xiangqin to a coffee shop at the intersection of Renzhaibei Street and Wenhua Road. "It's said that the person in charge of the money 'works' at the coffee shop every day."
Another Group of Migrant Workers Hearing that the person was found, they immediately rushed over
On the other hand, Huang Zhenhong and others were also searching for Zhu Xiangqin. Huang Zhenhong is also a small contractor, leading a dozen fellow villagers to work. He also undertook a project from Zhu Xiangqin. To date, the part they were responsible for has been completed for a year, but the project funds have not been settled.
Facing the common debtor, Xu Youjun and Huang Zhenhong formed an "alliance." Xu Youjun searched in Zhengzhou, while Huang Zhenhong searched in Xinzheng.
When they heard that Xu Youjun had found Zhu Xiangqin, Huang Zhenhong and others immediately rushed over.
Huang Zhenhong said that on October 18, 2008, he signed a contract with Xin Feng Company, undertaking the construction matters of "Longteng Grand Hotel in the Xinzheng Mining Area," responsible for engineering steel shaping binding, formwork assembly and disassembly, concrete pouring, and hardware work.
The contract copy shows that the project was completed on January 30, 2009. Huang Zhenhong indicated that during the construction period, Xin Feng Company paid more than 300,000 yuan in project funds, but still owed 160,000 yuan.
Huang Zhenhong said that this construction team consisted of 13 people, all fellow villagers from Huai Chuan, Xinyang. Their wages have been withheld for a year, and despite making hundreds of calls, they couldn't recover the money. When they approached the property owner unit, they were told that the project funds had already been given to Zhu Xiangqin. They had no choice but to continue searching.
Foreman All three parties sit together to see how to handle it
The man sitting inside the car is Zhu Xiangqin. He said that Xu Youjun's project funds were also not paid by the property owner unit, and this visit to the coffee shop was to find someone to collect the money.
Regarding Huang Zhenhong's money, Zhu Xiangqin admitted that 160,000 yuan was still unpaid, but 40,000 yuan was a fine from the property owner unit. "The property owner unit inspected the project, went for acceptance, and because he (Huang Zhenhong) did some things poorly, they fined him money," Zhu Xiangqin said.
Zhu Xiangqin said that the overall project was not yet completed, and it would be finished in March. Some accounts were not yet reconciled. This matter would be resolved as soon as possible, with all three parties sitting together to see what the penalty was about. "I will find a way to settle the money within a few days."
Resolution One group receives a commitment, the other group is still waiting
Now that the person was found, how should it be handled? Since Zhu Xiangqin was just an intermediate contractor, Huang Zhenhong and Xu Youjun agreed to take Zhu Xiangqin to the property owner unit to negotiate with all three parties. Later, both parties agreed to first handle Huang Zhenhong's matter.
At 5 PM yesterday, when the reporter contacted Huang Zhenhong, he stated that after the three-party negotiation, the property owner unit agreed to give 50,000 yuan first, and then another 50,000 yuan the next day.
Xu Youjun wasn't so lucky. He said he was waiting outside the gate of the Provincial Agricultural Reclamation Group.
At 6:30 PM last night, Xu Youjun called the reporter, saying he was negotiating with another person in charge of the Agricultural Reclamation Group, and there was still no result.
[Unpaid Wages "Exposure Platform"]
Migrant workers living on the fringes of the city have made great contributions to urban development, but the city owes them too much. The Commercial Journal will open an "Exposure Platform" to collaborate with the Mayor's Hotline of Zhengzhou City and the Zhengzhou Labor Supervision Brigade. After verification, any acts of withholding wages will be publicly exposed by the Commercial Journal.
Hotline number for the Commercial Journal: 0371-65866299, Zhengzhou Labor Supervision Brigade hotline: 0371-67439828 or 12333, Zhengzhou Mayor's Hotline: 12345.