Summary of Key Points
107 recent graduates did not back down and instead used direct, compliant, and effective methods of rights protection (referred to as “Western medicine”) to get Xingyu Co., Ltd. (a listed company in the automotive lighting industry) to correct its unfair treatment of them. This incident serves as a lesson for all workers: when faced with corporate injustice, don’t rely on “endurance” or “gentle negotiation”; instead, use strong and legal means to protect your rights, as it is both quick and effective.
Detailed Analysis
What exactly is “Western medicine,” and why is it so effective?
The term “Western medicine” here refers to tough methods of rights protection, such as collectively filing complaints with labor inspection departments, applying for labor arbitration, or seeking media exposure. These methods are effective because they are backed by rules and regulations: labor inspection authorities can directly order companies to make corrections, and arbitration decisions must be complied with by companies. Media exposure can also affect the stock price and reputation of listed companies like Xingyu (which is a A-share company). In contrast to “traditional Chinese medicine” (such as privately appealing to HR or enduring silently), “Western medicine” doesn’t require much persuasion; it simply follows the law and regulations, hence the quick results.
What problems might the graduates have encountered?
Although the news doesn’t provide specific details, based on common issues faced by recent graduates, it’s likely they encountered one of the following:
- Job offers being revoked: The company canceled the appointment after the graduate signed the notice but refused to compensate.
- Promises not being kept: The actual salary and benefits upon starting work differed from what was promised during the interview (for example, an agreed salary of 8,000 yuan turned out to be 6,000 yuan).
- Unjust termination: The graduate was fired during the probationary period without any compensation.
- Forced overtime: The graduate had to work long hours without overtime pay.
These issues can be devastating for newly graduated students, but this time they didn’t panic and resolved them using “Western medicine.”
Who is Xingyu Co., Ltd. and why would they treat graduates unfairly?
Xingyu Co., Ltd. is a listed company in the automotive lighting industry with major customers like Volkswagen and Toyota, indicating its size and influence. They might have treated graduates unfairly because they thought:
- Graduates are new to the workplace and may not know how to protect their rights, or they might be too intimidated to take action.
- The company might have temporarily adjusted its business needs and decided to cut positions, seeing graduates as a low-cost option (with fewer legal consequences for breaking contracts).
- The HR department might have targeted graduates to meet employment reduction targets, considering them easier to manipulate.
Three practical lessons for workers
The most important takeaways from this incident are:
- Don’t endure! Endurance only encourages further injustice: When faced with unfair treatment, immediately seek legal help (e.g., call the 12333 labor hotline or file a complaint with the labor inspection department).
- Collective action is more powerful: When 107 people act together, the company cannot ignore the issue, and they are less likely to be dismissed with perfunctory responses.
- Keep evidence! Evidence is crucial: Keep all relevant documents such as job offer emails, communication records, contracts, and pay stubs, as they will be essential for rights protection.
What should companies learn from this?
For companies, especially listed ones, this is a warning:
- Don’t mistreat young people: Graduates are becoming more aware of their rights and are no longer the easy targets of past practices.
- Compliance is the long-term best approach: Breaching contracts and regulations not only results in financial losses but also damages a company’s reputation (for a listed company, this can lead to a drop in stock price and greater overall losses).
- Respecting employees equals protecting the company’s future: Investing in employees is essential for the company’s long-term success.
This incident shows that workers don’t have to fear corporate injustices; with the right legal means, even the largest companies must make corrections. The key question is—do you dare to use these “tough methods of rights protection”?