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Capitalists conceded, and the strike at the Dacol Textile Factory was successfully resolved.
This was an inevitable outcome; workers nowadays don’t ask for much, they strike simply to be able to provide for their families. When capitalists are willing to compromise, strikes naturally come to an end.
Yet the impact was just beginning. The victory of the workers at the Dacol Textile Factory undoubtedly stimulated other workers across the region, strengthening everyone’s determination to fight for better benefits and treatment.
This was no longer an isolated issue in Austria; within just one short month, the wave of strikes spread across the whole European Continent, with no industrial nation able to remain unaffected.
Facing the escalating labor movement, Franz too contemplated countermeasures. How to devise an effective system that could protect the interests of both employers and employees became the Vienna Government’s biggest challenge at present.
Taking into account various interests when formulating policies, Franz couldn’t afford to be careless.
Labor Minister Majoli hurried over: "Your Majesty, there’s trouble, the police in Venice have gone on strike."
"A police strike?" Upon hearing this, Franz doubted his hearing. Workers striking was common, but government officials going on strike was unprecedented.
Suppressing his anger, Franz asked, "What are their reasons for striking?"
Deep down, he had already made up his mind to take action against the bureaucratic groups of Venice. If they couldn’t even keep their own people in line, they were nothing but a bunch of incompetents.
Labor Minister Majoli said, "The workload is too high, there have been no rest days for a continuous month, and they have also put forward a demand for a pay raise."
Ever since the outbreak of the strike movement, the pressure on police officers everywhere had increased, and overtime was a common occurrence, with Venice being no exception.
Nonetheless, Franz was angry. "High workload, no days off", these issues were only temporary, and it’s not like they weren’t paid overtime. While companies might skimp, the government most certainly had no one daring to cut corners.
As for the issue of treatment, that was complete nonsense. Austria’s public officials were quite well-compensated; police officers’ salaries were generally above the average line, and in a large city like Venice, even more so.
Franz slammed his hand on the table: "If they want to strike, then they need not come back. Deploy the army to maintain order, and fire all government officials involved in this strike on the spot.
Government and state-owned organizations shall not rehire these dismissed staff.
Issue a nation-wide warning, tell all government officials to remember their duties.
If they find the work too exhausting and can’t do it, then vacate the position for someone capable. Causing trouble and threatening the government at critical moments, such behavior is absolutely intolerable."
He had to be stern; the lessons from the February Revolution in France were still fresh in Franz’s memory. Had the police not failed in their duties, the Orleans Dynasty would still be standing.
The Venice police strike was undoubtedly a wake-up call for him. If he didn’t nip this undesirable trend in the bud, perhaps the Vienna police would go on strike tomorrow.
Perhaps in time, it would even spread to other government departments. There are plenty of such examples in future generations, such as:
After the outbreak of Ebola, medical staff in Liberia went on strike;
During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ukraine Military went on strike;
The Bolivian police, dissatisfied with their treatment, directly occupied the headquarters of the national riot police in the capital, even disguising themselves as civilians, covering their faces, assaulting the headquarters of the national intelligence agency, shattering glass, taking furniture, documents, and computers, and setting fires;
Brazilian police and military...
All these rash acts prompted Franz to be cautious and prevent trouble before it could start. As public servants, they must have a sense of the bigger picture. It’s fair to raise issues, but falling short at crucial moments and threatening the government, what’s that about?
As for salaries and benefits, as long as they are no lower than the average income, coupled with supporting welfare, they are actually high-income individuals, since most people are averaged out.
Labor Minister Majoli said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
There was no need to object, making an example was necessary. The Venice police striking at this time had walked right into the line of fire, becoming an example.
Thanks to compulsory education, Austria was never short of public officials. Recruiting a batch of newcomers and drawing some key personnel from various places, the local police system would soon be restored.
After a sigh, Franz asked, "Majoli, how far has the strike wave developed, how many people are involved within the country, and how many have been settled?"
Labor Minister Majoli replied, "Your Majesty, the strike wave has spread throughout the entire European Continent. The situation is most severe in France, and if the Paris Government doesn’t handle it well, a revolution is highly likely to erupt.
Domestically, the situation has improved somewhat. As of now, 1,876 enterprises have gone on strike, with over three million workers participating in the strikes.
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So far, only less than one-third of the strikes have been resolved through negotiation and production has resumed. The rest are still in negotiation, and the government has intensified its police presence to maintain order. For now, the situation is temporarily stable, with no large-scale chaos breaking out.
However, many of the negotiations at the striking enterprises are not going smoothly. The gap between both sides’ conditions is too large, and it is difficult to reach a compromise in the short term.
This number allowed Franz to breathe a sigh of relief. Regardless, the fact that the number of strikers was decreasing was a good start.
From the data, it seemed that many capitalists had heeded the government’s warning and taken measures to placate the workers ahead of time, otherwise, the wave of strikes could not have been contained.
Whether they had increased wages, benefits, or simply relied on deceit was no longer Franz’s concern.
"Hmm, continue to work on the mindset of both sides, but do not get directly involved. The government is only mediating. If they can’t come to an agreement, don’t force it, or it will end up being thankless on all sides."
This was Franz’s true thought. If the terms of treatment can’t be agreed upon, a forced compromise will eventually lead to problems. It would be better to split on bad terms sooner rather than later.
The workers can choose to resign and the capitalists can choose to lay off employees, as long as it’s done according to the "Labor Protection Law."
After all, with the large migration plan already underway, even if an unemployment wave did break out, it could be quickly absorbed. Changes in the labor market’s supply and demand naturally lead to an increase in compensation.
Market regulation of wages far outperforms government-enforced intervention.
The gap between people is immense; even among workers, production efficiency varies. Some have great skills; others, not so much. If everyone were to receive equal pay for unequal work, that would be the real issue.
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As the Revolutionary Holy Land, Paris is the heart of every workers’ movement in Europe. This time was no exception, even though the strike wave started in Milan, Parisian workers’ enthusiasm was high.
Unlike the strikes by Austrian workers, which were resolved then and there, Parisian workers have taken to the streets with banners in protest, effectively crippling the city’s transport.
At the Palace of Versailles, Napoleon IV was deeply troubled. Striking for wage increases is one thing, but protesting at the gates of the Imperial Palace? What was the meaning of this?
Finance Minister Allen: "Your Majesty, this strike is unlike any other. Since the Dacol Textile Factory strike, the whole of Europe has been thrown into chaos.
Now with the crowd protesting in front of the palace gates, it is very likely that someone is deliberately instigating this. We must remain vigilant to avoid a repeat of the February Revolution."
The French government may seem stable, but it can’t withstand the high revolutionary fervor of the Parisians. With the strike wave, just a little push from someone with intent could lead to chaos.
Napoleon III may be gone, but his political enemies remain: the Orthodox Faction, the Orleans Faction, and the Republicans are all enemies of Napoleon IV.
These enemies are not just outside; there are plenty within the French government itself. The checks and balances deliberately designed by Napoleon III also served to lure out the hidden foes.
Enemies lurking in the dark are far more dangerous than any who are exposed. The Orleans Dynasty is a case in point; the February Revolution would not have succeeded so easily without collusion from within the government.
After hesitating for a moment, Napoleon IV clenched his teeth and said, "Deploy the Fifth Division into the city, place Paris under martial law, and prohibit any marches or demonstrations.
At the same time, invite representatives of the workers and the capitalists to negotiate, and quell this turmoil as quickly as possible."
His position on the throne mattered more than the adverse effects, and Napoleon IV could no longer afford to care about the latter.
Security Minister Ansochie quickly advised, "Your Majesty, that is not advisable. The current situation has not escalated to that extent. Once the military is called into the city, it could very well exacerbate the conflict and further destabilize the situation."
Paris is different from other cities; demonstrations have become a part of everyone’s life and are an indispensable part of it.
It hasn’t reached the point where people march when they feel bad, when they feel good, or when they are bored, but joining a demonstration every ten to fifteen days is still considered beneficial to one’s health.
Preventing public protests will inevitably lead to widespread dissatisfaction. If someone were to manipulate that feeling, the consequences could be unpredictable.
Napoleon IV shook his head, "As long as the military is under control, the situation is in our hands, and those petty fools won’t be able to cause much trouble.
The task at hand is to quickly calm the strike wave. Many cities are paralyzed now, and our losses will be massive if this continues."
Since the death of Napoleon III, his sense of security had been lacking, and he had increased the number of guards in the Imperial Palace by half as though only the military could provide him with a sense of safety.
Whether this change is good or bad remains to be seen in the short term, but it has indeed increased his relationship with the military.
