Chapter 241 Labor Disputes
James continued. "Look at my condition, I'm already injured like this, so it's certain that I won't be able to pay your wages. I need to go to the hospital, and it's going to cost a lot of money. Please understand my situation. I've already discussed this with Billy, Tom, and Lex, and they all agreed. Since you've only been working for less than a month, let's just forget about the wages..."
Mark was extremely reluctant. "How can it be like this? It's not easy for you, and it's not easy for us either. I've never done manual labor in my entire life. In these past twenty-something days, I've been working diligently, carrying logs and enduring every day. My shoulders are even scraped and bleeding. We agreed on 45 dollars a day, so how can you not give us a single cent?"
Calvin added, "Exactly! We've been working for 26 days. If we calculate it at 45 dollars a day, our wages should amount to 1,170 dollars. Even if you don't pay us the full 1,170 dollars, you should at least give us 750 dollars. If it weren't for financial obligations back home, who would be willing to come to the mountains and carry firewood?"
"Ouch..." James winced, holding his injured leg, and angrily said, "Do any of you have any humanity? Look at the state I'm in, and you have the nerve to ask for wages from me?"
Tom sighed and said, "Let it go. Let's just consider ourselves unlucky. Mr. Brown is already in this condition. We won't ask for wages. Let's consider it as contributing towards his medical expenses."
Lex quickly nodded in agreement, "Yeah, let's not ask for wages either. Let's consider it as a donation for Mr. Brown's medical treatment."
The chubby employee Billy wanted to say something, he moved his mouth but never spoke.
Mark, being more astute, quickly understood the scheme behind it. "I get it. You've conspired with Mr. Brown to deceive Calvin and me. Mr. Brown must have agreed to pay you three while making you act to convince Calvin and me not to ask for wages. Billy, tell me, is that what happened?"
Billy's face turned red, feeling embarrassed and unable to reply, but his expression was enough to confirm everything.
James shifted his gaze and took the opportunity to point at Tom beside him. "Tom, swear on your life that you won't ask me for wages. That way, they'll believe you."
Tom retorted angrily, "Why shouldn't I ask for my wages? I have responsibilities to support my three-generation family. My mother is 90 years old, and my granddaughter is only 7. Our house needs repairs, and there are school fees to be paid. Who doesn't need money?"
James' face turned extremely unpleasant, and he lowered his voice. "No, that's not it. Didn't we agree on something just now? I'm not really refusing to give you..."
Tom interrupted indignantly, "You expect me to swear on my life? Do you really think I believe you? You've even plotted against me, and now you want me to help you!"
Lex remained silent but shook his head in disappointment.
Finally, Calvin understood James' intentions. "Tom, Lex, Billy, don't be foolish. If we can't get our wages, you definitely won't either. We've seen what kind of person Mr. Brown is these past few days.
"Mark and I have discussed it before. Once we get our wages for this month, we won't stay here anymore. We just didn't expect a landslide to happen before the month even ended."
At this point, Calvin angrily pointed at James. "Just because you're injured, you think you can withhold our wages? Did we cause your injury? Let me tell you, unless you're dead and have no breath left, we will demand our hard-earned wages!"
"That's right! We want our wages, not a single cent less!"
Tom, Lex, Billy, and Mark immediately stood on the same side.
"Oh... Why is my life so miserable? The factory has encountered problems, now I have to pay workers' wages, and I have to be hospitalized for my leg..." James lamented.
Every person couldn't help but frown upon hearing such words.
They had come across unscrupulous capitalists before, but they had never encountered ones as shameless as this!
Alexander had developed a strong aversion to James. He was in a hurry to get to the Lewis Villa and didn't want to witness this person's deceitful acting anymore.
With a cold tone, Alexander asked James, "If you weren't injured, would you pay the employees their wages?"
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