Blackstone Code

At the very beginning of the general strike, the mayor used the social instability caused by the strike, along with the impacts on redemption points, as reasons to directly halt the issuance and redemption of food stamps.

As for when this program would restart, the city hall did not provide any clear answer.

When the general strike erupted, people did not consider these issues. Additionally, in the mid to late stages, they looted some supermarkets, and some individuals obtained a lot of supplies, so this problem was not particularly serious.

Moreover, it was necessary to mention the role of the workers' union in this situation. To some extent, the workers' union helped fill part of the food gap. Some workers who did not participate in the looting found the union, and the union exchanged food stamps from them, allowing these people to continue to scrape by without starving.

These food stamps, at this moment, had become a new form of money—an unofficial currency with all the elements of legal tender. So, the union's actions were not purely charitable; they could even make a profit from it.

Alongside this, Mark's company was also recovering food stamps, which maintained a bizarre basic balance in the city. People could barely hold on, but not for much longer.

A few days ago, when people were starving, they could still go out and loot. Looking at Sabin City, every supermarket and malls had been looted clean, leaving no food behind, which allowed some people to get food.

But the situation changed when the military entered the city. Any illegal behavior would be severely punished immediately, and people did not dare to take risks anymore.

The gunshots heard around the city this morning alone were enough to instill fear, making people truly afraid to go out. Hiding at home, they had to face a pressing issue—how to fill their stomachs.

This was the demand the workers' union made in this meeting after being entrusted with it: to quickly resume the issuance and redemption of food stamps, or people would find it hard to hold on!

After listening to the workers' union representative's demand, the mayor took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his glasses.

He was not young and actually preferred not to wear glasses in serious situations like this, but time waits for no one, and without glasses, he couldn't read some documents clearly.

Yet he wasn't very old, either, for a politician—he was in his prime.

There weren't many documents to read at the moment, so he decided not to keep wearing the glasses and naturally wiped them with his handkerchief and put them away.

While wiping nonexistent dirt and grease off the lenses, he said without looking up, "The issuance and redemption of food stamps have always been very stable, but due to the general strike, related enterprises were also impacted. So, before the strike is completely resolved, we will not consider reopening the issuance and redemption of food stamps."

He put his glasses back in the case and looked up at the union representative. "When the negotiation is resolved and everything returns to its original track, we will discuss the food stamps and redemption issue."

What seemed like a trivial issue suddenly grabbed the union representatives, their faces showing expressions of either contemplation or anger.

At this moment, Ferrall beside the mayor proactively explained some situations at the redemption points, such as food supplies being looted, food stamps being robbed, and staff being injured.

These words instantly dissipated the anger of the people—it was their striking workers' doing. What more could they blame others for?

When Ferrall finished, the mayor had packed all his personal belongings on the table. He looked at the others and asked, "Does anyone have other questions?"

After waiting for about ten seconds, he announced the end of the second negotiation. As for whether this negotiation was a success or a failure, everyone had their own views.

The worker representatives and union people quickly left the scene. They took a bus back to the union to discuss the results of the negotiation and where to compromise in the next one.

Lynch observed the entire negotiation process. On the way back, he already understood that the mayor had won.

Sometimes, people had to admire these politicians. They focused all their energy entirely on their field, producing astonishing results.

Undoubtedly, after that day, the striking workers would be divided into two groups. The cause of this outcome was the cessation of food stamps distribution and redemption, or, in other words, the true essence of life beneath some superficial glitz—the issue of filling their stomachs.

Regardless of whether the redemption points were truly attacked, the mayor used it as a reason to halt the issuance.

Once the "orderly" strikers' interests were harmed, it would creat a rift with the "disorderly" strikers. This rift would grow quickly, eventually splitting the groups completely.

Throughout the strike, newspapers reported daily on how many stores were looted and the value of stolen goods. This gave those who were too scared a vent for their dissatisfaction.

Look, everyone was striking, but some had the guts to loot and rob, getting a lot of goods, while the timid ones could only envy, hate, and not dare to act.

Now, the city hall gave them an excuse and reason to blame those people. Based on the ugliest side of human nature, they would stand on the moral high ground handed to them by the mayor and criticize those who destroyed their peace and freedom.

They would even believe that the looting they once envied and wanted to join was the real reason for their strike's failure, making the radical strikers their enemies.

Once a movement, no matter how large or small, began to split from within, it signified that it had already reached its end.

Unquestionably, the inconspicuous food stamps became the last straw that broke Sabin City's general strike.

To quickly fill stomachs and feed the starving children, the negotiation process unprecedentedly advanced rapidly.

On December 9th, during the fourth negotiation two weeks after the last one, everything was resolved. There was not much bargaining; ultimately, workers got a wage increase, at least one meal a week with beef, and some medical coverage for work injuries, ending the grand strike.

Afterwards, the mayor promised the worker representatives and union members that food stamps would be reissued and redemption points reopened starting next Tuesday, helping citizens in need.

Sabin City's general strike came to an end, but its influence and aftermath were far from over.

Workers' problems were solved; next were the capitalists'.

So many shops were looted and burned, so much property stolen during the strike—this could not go unaddressed.

"This won't end just like this," Mark said, standing among a group of gentlemen, holding his wine glass, speaking with conviction and satisfaction.

This reception celebrating the strike's end was initiated by Mark. Everyone knew he was the mayor's nephew, so his words also represented the mayor's attitude.

This strike was a minor victory for the working class in the labor-capital war. If they thought the capitalists would be utterly defeated because they got some desired results, that would be too naive.

The businessmen in the room knew better how to use rules to vent their anger and severely punish the workers.

Yes, legal means. Those workers wouldn't be foolish enough to think that their looting and burning of private property was legal, right?

Since it was illegal, there were violations. If someone pursued it, someone would have to pay for their violations.

Some troublemakers would be lawfully dealt with—not sentenced to death of course, but expelled from factories and sent to prison.

In normal times, such unjustified dismissals might lead to bad consequences. These troublemakers would cause more losses by making a fuss than keeping them.

But not this time. They would be sent to prison. Moreover, those worker representatives in the factories would be dismissed for failing to organize orderly protests, leading to factory losses.

As for other workers? They wouldn't protest anymore because their wages increased, benefits changed, and factories made concessions on the work injury issues. Why would they continue to protest?

Worker representatives and troublemakers would be expelled from factories. This was what the capitalists gained from the strike.Please vote for this novel at https://www.novelupdates.com/series/blackstone-code/There are advance chapters available nowAccess will be granted 24 hours after the donationTier 1: 7 Advance chapters Link

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