Empire of Shadows

In the morning, it was still in the hotel conference room, with as many people as last time, or even more!

Before the negotiation started, Lance gathered all the worker representatives in the room, and Vaughn was also there.

They looked very excited.

"…The worker brothers in the city have also started a strike to support us, which proves that what we are doing is right, Lance."

"When we learned about this last night, everyone seemed very excited. We are not alone, at least not at this moment!"

The big beard's position among these representatives is not the highest, but it is among the top few, and the others are quietly watching him speak.

His face was full of smiles, "Someone contacted me yesterday and said that we can ask for a little more. The situation is in our favor now."

Other worker representatives also expressed similar ideas. There have been several major strikes in the Federation, and each major strike has resulted in the victory of the working class.

This is why the workers believe that as long as they unite, there will be no opponents in this world. They have always been winning!

Lance glanced at Vaughn, and Vaughn shook his head, "Not my people."

The conversation between the two attracted their attention. Lance now has a bit of a headache. There is no doubt that someone contacted them.

These people do not need to contact every worker on the dock. As long as these things are released, those workers will quickly communicate and spread the word. This can be said to be a conspiracy, or it can be said to be an open conspiracy.

Use strikes to continue to promote strikes.

Vaughn was obviously very headache. They also saw that Lance and Vaughn didn't want to talk now, or didn't know what to say. The excited expressions on their faces also subsided.

Dave frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Is this situation not quite right?"

Vaughn didn't know what to say, so Lance finally communicated with them about this matter.

"It's not that it's not right, but that you are being used as weapons to deal with some people and deal with some things."

He sat there, his mind racing, "The dock management company has made appropriate concessions and compromises. To be honest, from my point of view, it is already good enough for them to promise a wage increase. It is difficult to fight for anything else, even with a national strike."

Lance didn't know how to explain this, "I'm not saying that you shouldn't fight for your interests, but I just feel that the whole thing has become distorted and deformed now."

"We can't find their people when we need them, but when they find that they can find enough benefits from us, they take the initiative to jump out."

"They are not people who really care about you. They will only appear when you are valuable."

The others also nodded, but some people's nodding expressions looked very firm. They agreed with Lance's statement, but some people nodded only to "cooperate with the group", not because they really thought so.

In fact, if Lance and their identities were switched, as an ordinary dock worker, he would not think there was anything wrong with the Labor Union now.

Because he would indeed obtain practical benefits for himself from the actions of the Labor Union. Their wages would increase, their working hours would decrease, and their treatment would become better!

These are all positive feedback for the working class, and they have no reason not to support them.

Even if they know that they are being used as toilet paper.

But as long as there are enough benefits, let alone toilet paper, even being a toilet is not impossible!

Johnny, Dave, the two of them have a better relationship with Lance. Johnny himself is Lance's man, and Dave has been harassed by the gang, and Lance helped him solve the trouble.

"What are you going to do?"

Dave asked Lance.

Lance had a headache. Tom's request seemed very simple, to get the worker representatives to think, but in fact this is a very easy thing to offend people.

For workers and worker representatives who don't think deeply, if you persuade me to accept the conditions offered by the capitalists, that is to persuade me to surrender, and you yourself have surrendered first!

So this matter is very difficult, but no matter how difficult it is, it must be done.

He pondered for a moment, just as he was about to say something, Vaughn suddenly spoke.

"I am a member of the union, but this time I am not on the side of the union."

"I don't know what they promised you, maybe they told you that as long as you continue to increase your demands, the dock management company will definitely compromise and meet your requirements…"

Someone nodded, but suddenly realized that this was not the time to nod, and the Federation looked aside with a straight face.

"Don't be like this, I actually know everything, but have you ever considered it?"

"Even if the dock management company agrees to the demands you put forward, it is forced. This is not their willingness."

Someone interjected, "They are not willing now, they are also forced."

Vaughn looked at that person, staring into his eyes, "But they can accept the current negotiation results, but they cannot accept the further conditions you put forward!"

"So even if they agree, the contradiction will not disappear. It still exists and is constantly escalating!"

"We are making a mess of our lives for the benefit of others…"

The big beard couldn't stand it anymore, "Just say it, talk about your ideas."

Lance pursed his lips. Vaughn was still a bit useful now, so he raised his hand to stop Vaughn from continuing, "The dock management company has made a new concession, the daily working hours remain unchanged, but half an hour of rest time is added."

"In addition, the lunch food will be improved on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and everyone's salary will be immediately increased by one and a half yuan."

Lance felt that this condition was actually not bad, because most jobs at this time were eleven to twelve hours long, and only a few jobs were ten hours long.

This is not universal, just like many workers think that they are the same as the workers in heavy industry enterprises. Everyone is a worker, so why are the treatment and income different?

Johnny and Dave were both thinking, and some other people were also considering it, but someone had already raised an objection.

A guy wearing the work clothes issued by Lance stood up, "Mr. Lance, I don't understand any big principles. I only know that the conditions they put forward are beneficial to us."

"You can do less work every day, get more wages, and have more food improvements."

"Every item is beneficial to me, and I can't find a reason to oppose them."

"I don't know… Of course, I shouldn't say that. I just want to fight for my own benefits, that's all!", he didn't say anything that was not very friendly to Lance, but he expressed his meaning.

Lance glanced at him and nodded slightly, "This is normal. Are there anyone else who thinks the same way?"

"Don't worry, I'm just here to understand the situation. In fact, you are the parties involved."

"I won't retaliate against anyone, and I won't make trouble for others. You just do what you want to do."

Soon some more worker representatives stood up, including the big beard.

The big beard had also dealt with Lance several times, "Mr. Lance, just like they just said to you, every condition of these people is good for us, and it is difficult for us to refuse."

"And!", he emphasized his tone here, "Mr. Lance, have you ever considered that even if you can convince us, can you convince every worker?"

"You can't convince them, including us. In fact, you can't convince them either. Now it's all over the place that the working hours are ten hours a day, the salary is increased by two yuan, and there is meat for every meal!"

"If we support you and ask them to support you, they will abandon us."

"I don't understand any big principles, but I know that they trust me and elected me, so I don't just represent myself, but also represent them!"

"I hope you can understand. Thank you for your help during this time, Mr. Lance!"

A group of people quickly left the room, leaving only Johnny and Dave, and three worker representatives.

"What about you?"

Lance asked the remaining people. They looked at me, I looked at you, and finally Johnny opened his mouth first, "We all believe in your judgment, Mr. Lance."

Lance glanced at Vaughn, feeling a little relieved, at least there were still people who believed in them.

But this is the choice of the workers. It seems that they are very ruthless. They wear the clothes Lance gave them on this side, and then turn around and kick him away.

In fact, you can't think that way, why?

Because most of the workers have not even said a few words to Lance, and Lance had previously supported their strike.

They didn't take much advantage of Lance, and Lance didn't take any advantage of them. Now it's just a breakup.

Vaughn asked, "What do we do now?"

Lance shook his head slightly, which made Vaughn feel desperate, "Do you have no way either?"

Lance looked at him in surprise, "When did I say I had no way?"

Vaughn was a little confused, "Then why are you shaking your head?"

"I shook my head because I felt sorry for them. Did you think I shook my head because I was powerless?", he smiled dumbly, "Vaughn, do you know what is the least lacking thing in this world?"

"What?", he asked.

"People!"

After Lance and the others came out of the room, they went to the other side. Tom was attending a small meeting here. Someone knocked on the door. He took a look. It was Lance.

"Lance is knocking on the door. He should want to say something to me. I'll go out for a while."

Senator Cleveland, who was sitting inside, stopped him, "Just call him in. I'm also very concerned about the current situation."

Tom opened the door, looked at the two people outside, and said in a low voice, "The Senator wants you to go in. Mind your manners."

Vaughn even straightened his collar, and Lance smiled, simply nodding.

Tom didn't say anything more, leading them into the room and closing the door.

"Good morning, Senator."

Compared to Vaughn, who didn't even dare to breathe loudly, Lance was obviously less nervous and even greeted the Senator proactively.

Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to walk over and shake hands with the Senator. After greeting him, he stood in the middle of the room.

Vaughn was a little nervous and also greeted the Senator, "Good morning, sir."

The Senator nodded in response, "Get them two chairs. Don't make them stand while talking."

Tom and his other subordinates quickly brought two chairs. Lance didn't stand on ceremony at all and sat down directly.

Senator Cleveland casually asked, "How did your talk with the workers' representatives go just now?"

Lance shook his head directly and said, "Not good at all!"

"The Labor Federation may have already contacted these workers and their representatives in private. They're making the workers put forward more demanding requests in exchange for the opportunity to drag out the negotiations."

"Vaughn and I tried to persuade these people, but we failed with the majority of them."

The Senator listened very carefully, tilting his head to the side. Hearing this, he repeated a sentence, with a slight hint of doubt in his tone, "The majority?"

"Yes, the majority."

"About seventy to eighty percent of the workers' representatives rejected our lobbying, but there were also five workers' representatives who stood on our side."

Cleveland confirmed that he hadn't misheard, "You said seventy to eighty percent rejected it?"

He sat up straight, facing Lance directly, leaning back in his chair, "Do you have any solutions?"

He could naturally see that Lance should have some solutions, otherwise he wouldn't be so calm. This also made him feel some curiosity about Lance's methods.

People shouldn't be curious. Once they are, they will want to know the answer.

Obviously, Senator Cleveland also wanted to know the answer.

"Now a large number of refugees have poured into Goldport City, and the vast majority of jobs at the port are simple physical labor."

"We can pay people to operate those large machines. Since they are willing to stand on the other side to work one hour less, they will also stand on our side for ten dollars more."

"First, get the docks moving. This will solve the current conflicts at the docks. If they want to strike, let them continue to strike."

"When the time comes, let the dock management company announce to the public that they have been fired and are no longer dockworkers, so they will not consider any demands they make."

Senator Cleveland listened and nodded slightly. He thought for a while, "A very good solution, but it only applies to Goldport City."

What he meant was actually referring to using illegal immigrants to solve the labor problem, which they had actually been doing all along, but there were fewer illegal immigrants in other places. If a large-scale strike occurred, they couldn't do it the way Lance said.

He then asked, "What if these workers start making trouble?"

"Goldport City has only just stabilized. If it becomes chaotic again, it will become the focus of attention once more."

Lance revealed his clean, white teeth, which were somewhat dazzling!

"Senator, my local police and I are willing to contribute some strength to maintaining local law and order!"

Senator Cleveland understood the meaning in his words and couldn't help but laugh, "Lance White?"

Lance stood up, and Vaughn, not knowing what was happening, also quickly stood up.

Lance bowed slightly, "Yes, Senator."

"You're very interesting, one of the few interesting people I've ever met!" He pondered for a moment, "Do things according to what you said. After the matter is resolved, I'll give you a business card before I leave…"

Lance, coming out of the office, clenched his fist, feeling slightly excited in his heart.

The purpose of Senator Cleveland leaving him a business card wasn't to say that he owed him a favor and would repay him in the future. Lance's face wasn't that big, and Tom would definitely explain it to him when he handed the business card over.

This business card couldn't do anything for him. He couldn't contact Senator Cleveland to ask him to do anything.

The only value of this business card was that if someone was planning to take his life, and it was a government agency, then this business card could save him.

The following negotiations went as Lance expected. The dock management company had already released their sincerity, but most of the workers' representatives gave feedback that they did not accept it, and they put forward new demands.

These demands sounded like the kind that no one would ever agree to, and naturally the result was an unpleasant breakup.

But this time, the workers' representatives, the Labor Federation, and the people from the industry union left first, including Vaughn.

Lance didn't let Vaughn continue to stay here. It was enough for him to be here.

"Senator, you've already seen it. They have no intention of talking to us at all!"

"We've already made appropriate concessions. Not only are they not moving towards a result that we both strive for, but they're also putting forward even more outrageous demands?"

"Even if someone wants to launch an anti-monopoly investigation against us this time, it will be difficult for us to continue talking to them!"

The Executive Director was fuming. Originally, he thought that they could almost reach an agreement today. Everyone had come to sign the contract, but he didn't expect it to be like this at all!

Edward looked at Lance, who was sitting not too far from the Senator, and found it somewhat interesting, because Lance's position was a little closer to the Senator.

Senator Cleveland smiled and raised his hand to appease the Executive Director's emotions, "Relax, there aren't that many problems."

"Before, Mr. Lance and I…" He glanced at Lance, who leaned forward slightly in response to this "title," letting people know who the Senator was talking about.

This also made everyone look at him with a different light.

They all knew what role Lance played, but what they didn't expect was that they hadn't gotten on Cleveland's line yet, but Lance had privately contacted him first.

The way these people looked at Lance had also changed, including Edward's father and James, who had been listening in.

"Mr. Lance has put forward a constructive idea. He will find a large number of new workers to solve the problem of the docks not having enough workers. We have a group of old workers who can take them to work."

"Then some technical positions, cranes, forklifts, sorry, I don't know what other technical positions there are. In short, you can talk about these positions separately."

"First, restore order to the work at the docks, and then deal with the question of whether these people are on strike or not."

"I'm very curious, when they don't have jobs, what are they striking about?"