บท 9: Chapter 9 Encounter With The Union
"Julian!" From the second floor office balcony, Mr. Krian leaned out and called to him. Julian's attention was drawn away when he looked up from what he was in the process of unloading and saw Krian pointing at a meeting room nearby. "Come up here."
Streaking the sweat off his brow, Julian rolled away from his work. Graf, who was heaving a few crates himself, glanced up and caught Julian's eye: "Don't think to much. It might be the union guys who came to discuss with you.
Workers often felt helpless in front of unions. Most days, you didn't want to deal with them, but when you were put upon, you needed the union. Whether it was through wage bargaining or fighting exploitation, the union acted as a shield against capitalists who were always trying to cut costs at the workers expense. The mere existence of unions and laws like the Minimum Wage Protection Act helped curb employers from overreaching.
Straightening his clothes, Julian rapped on the door to the meeting room. A voice said, "come in," and Julian pushed open the door to find three people sitting around a conference table: two men and one woman.
The woman, in her mid-thirties, was dressed smartly in an expensive suit, but she had sharp features and a stern, almost boyish face. The two men in fitted suits had hair so slicked and shiny that not even a fly could lay eggs on it. For a split second, Julian looked around to confirm he was in the right place.
These people did not resemble the workers Julian had envisioned. How come the working class is represented by a different class? How are they even going to communicate workers demands if they aren't even aware of them.
A silver haired man sitting at the table smiled warmly and began leafing through a stack of printouts. "You're Julian, right?" he asked.
Julian nodded and said: "Iam and who may you be sir?"
"Frank," said one of the men from the Workers Union. "And this gentleman here is Abdul." He shared a quick look with his buddy before gesturing toward the woman. "And this is Selina, our legal counsel."
Julian nodded as Frank continued, "We're here today, comerade Julian, to invite you into our sacred social organization. For us workers, the union is a big family. We need to organize in the face of capitalist exploitation and unite to defend ourselves against low wages."
Selina cut in, her sharp eyes fixing on Julian's right hand, which was bandaged but still a little bloody. "I see your hand is injured. Did you do this while working here?"
Julian was caught off guard. "Oh, this? Yeah, I got hurt recently."
Her expression remained stern, but she inquired further. "And Mr. Krian didn't provide you with any medical care or assist financially for your injury?"
Julian scratched the back of his head, uncertain how to answer. "No, but it's fine. It was just an accident."
Selina quickly stood up and slapped her pen on the table, looking serious. "You've misunderstood. It may have been an accident, but it is also a workplace injury."
Frank caught on to Julian's discomfort and walked over, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he guided him to a seat. "Relax. This is what the union is for—to protect workers like you."
A moment later, Abdul followed by Mr. Krian entered the room. Krian gave Selina a curt nod, clearly on guard with the attorney. "Hello, Miss Selina," he greeted, taking a seat.
Selina wasted no time and went straight to the point. "Mr. Krian, did you know that Julian was hurt on the job?"
Krian blinked in surprise. He ran the station and could barely keep up with everything. They didn't report every single injury unless someone called it in. "I wasn't aware. Julian never mentioned it to me."
"Are you aware of your responsibilities when a worker gets injured on the job?" Selina kept her voice stern as she jotted down notes. "Are you prepared for medical care, compensation, and paid sick leave?"
Krian paused, knowing the law all too well. Most porters got injured by pushing themselves beyond their limits, which always caused accidents. The price of Julian's hand injury would be around six dollars—three for medical care and three in damages.
Selina's voice grew sharper. "So, what will it be, Mr. Krian? Are you refusing to pay? We can take this all the way to Ternell Court if need be."
Krian quickly raised his hands in defense. "No need for that! Six dollars, right? I'll pay it. Starting tomorrow, he can also take a couple of days off with pay."
Selina, satisfied with the agreement, settled back on the couch. Krian knew it wasn't worth dragging the matter to court—the legal fees would far exceed six dollars. He took the deal and left with a thinner wallet.
Once Krian had gone, Frank smiled warmly at Julian. "See? That's the power of the union. And today was just a small preview. There's much more when you join us. The union has your back, whether it's protecting your rights or simply being there."
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