Sail across the sea

Chapter 441 Don't be fooled by how happily they're jumping around now

"Have you heard? The county has issued a policy encouraging government officials to take unpaid leave and work at Canghai Chemical Plant."

"You mean Canghai Fertilizer Plant?"

"What Canghai Fertilizer Plant? It's the Canghai Chemical Plant that used to be the fertilizer plant. They've been separate entities for a long time."

"How can they not be the same company? The owner of Canghai Chemical is named Gao Fan, who is the son of Gao Yiping, the director of the fertilizer plant. Don't you think they are the same company?"

"You're talking about the past. Gao Yiping has already been transferred to the provincial level and is now the general manager of the fertilizer industry group. The director of the fertilizer plant is Yuan Yaodong, who was promoted from the former deputy director of production at the fertilizer plant."

"I know about this. I heard that Yuan Yaodong is Gao Yiping's staunch confidant. So many people in the county wanted to become the director of the fertilizer plant, but it ended up falling to Yuan Yaodong."

"Nonsense, the fertilizer plant is now a provincial enterprise. How could our county have the authority to appoint anyone as the factory director? It's up to the provincial fertilizer company. Isn't Gao Yiping the one in charge of the fertilizer company? Who gets promoted and who gets demoted is all up to him."

"Wait, weren't we just talking about unpaid leave? How did we veer off-topic?"

"What's so great about taking a leave of absence without pay? Why would someone give up a government job to work for a fertilizer plant's labor service company?"

"What's the point? Their mid-level managers earn twice as much as those in our department, plus they get holiday benefits. You might want to go there, but they might not even want you."

"I'm not going. I heard that this company has already separated from the fertilizer plant and is now a purely private enterprise. What if the policy changes? There's a saying, 'Don't be so happy now, they might hold you accountable later.'"

"I think you're just saying it's sour grapes because you can't have them..."

Such conversations have been rampant in every corner of Cangtang County these days. People talk about it in their offices during work hours, on the streets after get off work while people are cooling off, and some couples even talk about it in indescribable places.

Most people are filled with inner conflict, wanting to earn twice their current salary as rumored, yet reluctant to give up the experience and qualifications they've worked so hard to gain.

That day, Liu Tiancheng finally accepted Gao Fan's request, or rather, his threat.

Cangtang County doesn't have any resources that Gao Fan absolutely needs. He can move his company to other cities or counties at any time, which is a fatal threat to the leaders of Cangtang County.

As reforms move towards decentralization day by day, cadres at Liu Tiancheng's level can already see the future trend: the autonomy of the grassroots will be further expanded, and whoever governs large enterprises and has more fiscal revenue will be able to achieve greater political achievements.

What are political achievements? They're the lifeblood of a leader.

In this era of reform, the standard for evaluating cadres at all levels of government can be summed up in five words: no merit is a fault.

In this situation, who would dare to push away a large enterprise like Canghai Chemical?
As for undermining the county's leadership, Liu Tiancheng had figured it out. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged officials are everywhere. The work in the county isn't actually that difficult; it doesn't matter who does it. Gao Fan was right: with money, what can't be done?
Take education for example. If the government has enough money, it can allocate several hundred thousand yuan to a county high school, which can then recruit several provincial-level outstanding teachers from other cities and counties. No matter who becomes the principal, the college entrance examination pass rate will not be low.

Liu Tiancheng put in some effort to persuade other county leaders, and ultimately a policy was passed at the meeting encouraging county cadres and technicians to take positions at Canghai Chemical. Those willing to resign from their public posts were welcome to do so, while those choosing to take unpaid leave were also welcome. For the latter option, no unit could refuse without a specific reason.

To alleviate the concerns of employees on unpaid leave, the policy also includes a clause stating that if an employee feels that their work at Canghai Chemical is unsuitable within six months and wishes to return to their original unit, their leave period will be treated as official leave, and this will not affect their promotion or advancement.

Of course, the document still needs some high-sounding reasons at the beginning, roughly that it is to implement the policy requirements of the State and Provincial Economic Commission, to fully support the development of technology-based foreign exchange earning enterprises, and to mobilize cadres and professionals from government agencies and enterprises to strengthen the strength of Canghai Chemical. The motives are very noble.

When the document was circulated to all units, the leaders were shocked. Their first reaction was that the county leaders must have been out of their minds to come up with such an absurd policy. Upon learning the origins of the policy, they were even more shocked. They never expected a labor service company to have the audacity to try and poach employees from government agencies. Wasn't this like a toad trying to eat a swan?

However, amidst the shock, some people began to be tempted.

As officials in Cangtang County, everyone knows that Canghai Chemical is an export-oriented enterprise. A small bottle of chemical cleaning agent can actually be sold to Japan; you can imagine how profitable the company is.

Working for a company like that would at least double your salary. Prices are rising so high these days; the meager salaries from government jobs don't last long at all. Who wouldn't want to move to a higher-paying organization?
In recent years, even in a third-tier city like Cangtang, some government officials have taken unpaid leave to try their luck in the business world. Some of those who went into business scrambled back after swallowing some water at the beach, while others actually caught big fish in the sea, returning home for the New Year dressed in suits and ties, looking like successful people.

Going into business is similar to investing in stocks in later generations. Those who lose money keep quiet, while those who make money flaunt it everywhere, giving the impression that investing in stocks is a sure thing.

Similarly, when people talk about starting their own businesses, the images that come to mind are all about making money.

Seeing others make money by going into business, many people are itching to try it themselves, but they worry that they are not good swimmers.

Now, there's a great opportunity to start a business right here in my hometown, and there's even a document from the county as a guarantee. It's almost like being ordered to start a business. I'm clearly going to make money, but when I write the application, I can say that I'm doing it for the country. Isn't that a great thing?

After the initial hesitation, some people began to visit the Canghai Chemical office building located at the old fertilizer plant for on-site consultation.

When Canghai Fertilizer Plant was converting ammonium to urine, the county provided a new factory area, which was called the "New Fertilizer Plant" by the people of Cangtang after its completion. Correspondingly, the abandoned old factory area became known as the "Old Fertilizer Plant".

Canghai Chemical's chemical cleaning company and chemical experimental base are located in the aging fertilizer plant, using the original production area. The newly established Canghai Chemical headquarters occupies the original factory office building.

Perhaps driven by a wicked sense of humor, Gao Fan specifically chose Gao Yiping's former office as his chairman's office.

After issuing a recruitment notice to the entire county, Gao Fan set up an information desk and registration point on the first floor of the office building. Peng Yueyue, who had just joined the company, was in charge of the registration point.

(End of this chapter)