Chapter 214: The Outcome Revealed—Who Lost?

At the start of the general strike, the mayor halted the issuance and redemption of food vouchers, citing social instability and disruptions at redemption points.

City Hall gave no clear answer on when the program would resume.

Initially, people ignored these issues. Midway through, some looted supermarkets and obtained supplies, so the problem wasn’t immediately severe.

The workers’ union played a role by recovering food vouchers from workers who didn’t participate in the riots, enabling them to avoid starvation. These vouchers, though unofficial, functioned as a new currency, and the union profited from this.

Mark’s company also collected vouchers, maintaining a fragile balance that allowed the city to barely survive—though not for long.

Previously, desperate people looted stores, and all major supermarkets were emptied. Now, with the military in the city, any illegal acts are met with harsh punishment, and people no longer dare to take risks.

The gunfire this morning scared residents into staying home, forcing them to face the pressing issue of how to feed themselves.

At the meeting, the workers’ union demanded the prompt restoration of food voucher issuance and redemption, warning that people couldn’t hold out much longer.

After hearing this, the mayor wiped his glasses with a handkerchief. Though reluctant to wear them in serious settings, age made reading documents without them difficult.

He finished reading, removed his glasses, and said without looking up, “Issuance and redemption of food vouchers were stable until the strike disrupted related companies. Until the strike ends, we won’t consider reopening the program.”

He put his glasses away and looked at the union representative. “Once negotiations conclude and order returns, we’ll discuss food vouchers again.”

The seemingly minor issue suddenly weighed heavily on the union and its backers, showing in their thoughtful or angry expressions.

Ferrell, standing beside the mayor, reported looting at redemption points and injuries to staff, which dissolved the anger among attendees—these were the actions of the striking workers themselves.

After Ferrell’s explanation, the mayor cleared his desk and asked if anyone had other issues.

After a brief pause, he ended the second round of talks. Whether the talks succeeded or failed remained disputed.

The worker representatives quickly left by bus to the union headquarters to review results and plan concessions for future negotiations.

Lynch, watching the entire process, understood on the return trip that the mayor had won.

Politicians like him focus all their energy on such matters, producing impressive results.

Undoubtedly, after today, the striking workers would split into two groups—caused by the halt in food vouchers, which revealed the harsh reality beneath superficial issues: the struggle to feed themselves.

Whether the attacks on redemption points actually occurred mattered less than the mayor using them as justification to stop vouchers.

The orderly strike factions suffered, fracturing their relations with the disorderly factions. The rift grew until the groups fully separated.

Throughout the strike, newspapers reported looting and destruction daily, fueling resentment among the timid who envied the bold rioters.

Now City Hall gave them an excuse to blame the rioters, who once inspired jealousy, as the real cause of the strike’s failure. The radicals became their enemies.

Any movement fractures from within signals its end.

Undeniably, the humble food voucher became the last straw that broke the great strike in Sabin City.

To quickly feed people and help starving children, negotiations moved at unprecedented speed.

On December 9th, two weeks after the last talks, the fourth labor negotiation resolved everything with minimal haggling: workers’ wages rose, at least one beef meal was guaranteed weekly, and employers agreed to cover some injury treatment costs—thus ending the massive strike.

The mayor promised workers that starting next Tuesday, food vouchers would be reissued, redemption points reopened, and aid resumed.

The strike had ended, but its impact and aftermath were far from over.

Workers’ issues were addressed; next came the capitalists’ problems.

With so many stores looted and destroyed, and property stolen, there would be consequences.

“This won’t end here…” Mark said confidently at a celebratory party he hosted—everyone knew he was the mayor’s nephew, so his words reflected the mayor’s stance.

This strike was a minor victory for workers in their labor war. Thinking the capitalists were defeated too was naïve.

The businessmen in the room knew how to use the rules to strike back hard.

Yes, the workers’ looting was illegal.

Illegal acts bring consequences. Some troublemakers would be legally removed—not killed, but fired and imprisoned.

Normally, such dismissals risk backlash since these agitators lead unrest that costs capitalists more than leaving them alone.

But now, they’d be jailed. Also, worker representatives who failed to keep strikes orderly, causing damage, would be fired.

As for other workers?

They wouldn’t strike anymore. Their wages increased, benefits improved, and factories showed some willingness to address injury issues. Why continue unrest?

Worker representatives and troublemakers were expelled from the factories—this was the capitalists’ gain from the strike.

In the years or even decades before the next major strike, they would freely exploit workers within reasonable limits, while workers endured this exploitation until someone finally stood up again.