That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1668 Li Ye, You Still Need to Study Hard
When Li Ye decided to "reorganize and break up" Southwest Heavy Truck, he anticipated that some people would be dissatisfied with this arrangement, resulting in resistance or even rebellion.

When faced with parachuted management, the original team can only protect their interests to the greatest extent by sticking together.

For example, a workshop director's authority largely comes from the workers under his command, especially his loyal followers.

If a newly appointed leader wants to effectively manage a new unit, they must go through middle managers like workshop directors to assign production tasks level by level. In this process, the interests of middle managers must be taken into account.

However, Li Ye only retained 20% of the management personnel, then dismantled his workers into a scattered mess, and then promoted some new team leaders and section chiefs from the capital. As a result, the control of the workshop was instantly diluted and restructured.

If your subordinates don't have much of a relationship with you, how can you compete with those people from the capital? They have both carrots and sticks; what do you have?
Of course, Li Ye isn't the kind of person who leaves people with no way out. As long as you cooperate with the work, you will naturally be treated fairly. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to the company's development and management to let someone from the capital act arbitrarily.

However, Li Ye couldn't understand what all of this had to do with Hu Yanshuo.

The other party is a local, has a secure job, and doesn't work for Southwest Heavy Truck. No matter how Li Ye adjusts the workers' positions, it won't affect him!

Moreover, the faster Li Ye takes control of Southwest Heavy Truck and the faster production resumes, the more advantageous it will be for them.

Li Ye couldn't figure it out, so he didn't plan to respond directly.

So after a few seconds of silence, Li Ye asked curiously, "Impossible, right? I stood at the wage distribution site all day today and didn't see any workers complaining. Director Hu, which worker did you say complained to you about?"

Hu Yanshuo was also taken aback for a moment, then said with a smile, "It's not a complaint, it's a report of the situation, and it's not just one worker reporting back to us!"
Several leaders have been paying close attention to the production recovery of Southwest Heavy Truck, so they are also very worried about the numerous complaints from the public. Why don't you and General Manager Lu come over so we can discuss this in detail?"

"Would you like to take a closer look? Of course, we can, but we just took over this mess these past few days and we're swamped with all sorts of things. We're not sure when we'll have time to go over there!"

"Uncertain time?"

Hu Yanshuo on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback, probably because he didn't expect Li Ye to dare to play the "delaying tactic" with him.

Moreover, Li Ye used the phrase "mess," which seemed to be a reminder to Hu Yanshuo that it was because they had taken over Southwest Heavy Truck with great righteousness that they helped certain people save face, and that they shouldn't do anything like pulling the ladder away now.

"How about this, Mr. Li? You may not have time, but we do. We can come to your office to talk. If you have any pressing issues, we can work together to resolve them!"

"Oh, okay, okay, then I'll trouble you, Director Hu. Please let us know when you're coming so we can make arrangements for your arrival."

"Forget about hospitality, we're just doing this for the company's development! Mr. Li, to be honest, we're truly heartbroken by this sudden turn of events at Southwest Heavy Truck. Otherwise, we wouldn't have done anything... Sigh, let's all try to understand each other."

I don't understand you at all!

Li Ye hung up the phone, still feeling uneasy, because Hu Yanshuo's words implied that Southwest Heavy Truck had sold at a loss.

He's lived two lives and hates this situation the most.

Even though it's a clearance sale item, after you buy it, he still thinks you got a great deal.

She's clearly in her late thirties and it's hard for her to get married, but after you married her, she immediately regretted it and felt she was blind to have married such a bad person.

Why didn't you do this sooner?
Li Ye immediately called his brother-in-law, Wen Guohua: "Brother, are you busy? I've run into some trouble today, and I'm completely baffled. Could you help me analyze what their purpose is?"

Li Ye relayed Hu Yanshuo's words to Wen Guohua, who then chuckled and said, "Since you can't figure out their intentions, why don't you put yourself in their shoes and see what their most pressing problem is right now?"

"The most urgent problem to solve?"

Li Ye thought for a moment, then frowned and said, "From what Hu Yanshuo said, they probably think they sold Southwest Heavy Truck too cheaply. Do they want us to pay more money?"

“That’s definitely not it,” Wen Guohua said coldly. “I set the price of 25 million, and once it’s set, it has to be accepted. Not a penny more can be given.”

Li Ye asked, puzzled, "Then why else could it be?"

Wen Guohua said calmly, "Don't you understand? He wants you to arrange for 80% of the management personnel."

Today you reorganized and reorganized the original workers of Southwest Heavy Truck. Those idle people who used to have easy jobs have all been assigned to work in the workshop. Can't those managers who you dislike also go to work in the workshop?

There's a downsizing going on everywhere right now. You can't possibly not understand how difficult it is to manage six or seven hundred cadres, right? Before, they were desperate to find someone to take over, and they reluctantly accepted it out of desperation. Now that you've taken over, of course they have their own ideas!

Li Ye said in surprise, "Brother, when you were dealing with them, didn't you agree that we would only keep 20% of the management personnel? I've only been here a few days, and they've already gone back on their word?"

Wen Guohua smiled faintly and said, "There are many things that have been agreed upon. They don't care about such things, and you shouldn't be too honest either. The 25 million you promised to pay hasn't all arrived yet, has it?"

Li Ye said dejectedly, "There's still ten million left. According to the agreement, it should be paid next week, but now it seems we'll have to wait until production resumes. Even if we give them a few million more, I don't want those few hundred people. One bad apple spoils the whole bunch, and hundreds of bad apples will ruin everything."

"We don't want the person, and we won't give them the money either!"

Wen Guohua said resolutely, "That ten million cannot be given even after production resumes! We must delay as long as possible, keeping the money in our own hands so we have leverage to compete with others."

Li Ye, you're already a master at production and management, but you still need to learn and hone your skills in this kind of cunning and dishonest behavior.

"."

"Okay, I understand, brother."

Li Ye was stunned for a long time before accepting his brother-in-law's suggestion. However, after hanging up the phone, he couldn't help but sigh.

Am I destined to become the kind of person I used to hate the most?

. . . . . . . . . .

The next afternoon, Hu Yanshuo came to see Li Ye, and he was all smiles and very friendly as soon as they met.

"Oh, Mr. Li, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to help us solve this little problem. Thank you so much!"

"Director Hu, please don't say that. After receiving your call yesterday, we felt very guilty. We've only been in the Southwest for a few days, and we've already experienced this kind of acclimatization problem. We're truly ashamed!" "Oh, what's there to be ashamed of? It's just a small problem; we'll solve it together, won't we? Hahaha~"

Hu Yanshuo exchanged a few pleasantries with Li Ye with a few laughs before getting down to business.

"General Manager Li, General Manager Lu, Southwest Heavy Truck has been a local factory for decades, holding a pivotal position in both production and people's livelihood. I don't need to elaborate on the production aspect, as General Manager Li and General Manager Lu are both experts in this field. Today, we mainly want to discuss issues related to people's livelihood."
Southwest Heavy Truck has tens of thousands of employees, which means it affects tens of thousands of families. Any seemingly insignificant change could trigger a chain reaction!

Li Ye glanced at Hu Yanshuo, whose face was serious, but didn't respond.

First, Li Ye disliked this kind of pretentious, roundabout rhetoric; second, Li Ye's rank was actually two levels higher than Hu Yanshuo's.

Although the rank of a corporate cadre is not as prestigious as that of a government cadre, they are not subordinate to each other and only "assist each other" for the sake of the company's development. Therefore, Li Ye has no need to get close to him.

This is where Lu Zhizhang's role becomes apparent.

Lu Zhizhang is the general manager of the Southwest branch, and his rank and status are commensurate with Hu Yanshuo's. Moreover, the two can be said to be "the same kind of people" in some aspects, both being extremely shrewd and meticulous.

"Director Hu is right. Eight years ago, when we were just starting out, the lives of our employees were also very difficult."
Over the years, we have always paid close attention to the living conditions of our workers and have achieved certain results. Now that we have come to the Southwest, we will naturally focus on the family situations of our workers as well.

"Oh, with Mr. Lu saying that, we feel much more at ease, hahaha~"

Hu Yanshuo laughed again, then casually said, "We're facing the same problem now. Just the day before yesterday, you made a large-scale adjustment to the workers' job positions, and many of these adjustments have left the workers confused and disoriented."

For example, someone who was originally in charge of mail handling was suddenly reassigned to assembly work; someone who used to be a receptionist now has to relearn sheet metal work. Such a drastic change not only disrupts production, but why is that?!

[You dare ask us why? Isn't this all your doing?]

Li Ye assigned those who received and sent mail to the workshop because there were too many of them. They occupied management positions as workers, and their extended family members only took money without doing any work, resulting in the proportion of front-line workers at Southwest Heavy Truck being less than 50%.

In other words, these people are workers and not among the "80%" of managers; otherwise, Li Ye would have laid them all off long ago.

Lu Zhizhang calmly replied, "Director Hu, there's no need to worry. We're simply making reasonable adjustments based on our existing management experience. Once the adjustments are complete, production efficiency will increase significantly."

"Hehehe, you guys really have management experience!"

Hu Yanshuo chuckled and then said, "But since workers' positions can be adjusted at will, then management cadres can naturally go down to the workshop, right?"
We still have six or seven hundred management cadres who haven't been properly arranged, which has caused several leaders a lot of worry. But now, seeing your new arrangements, the leaders have suddenly had a new idea.
If those who are temporarily replaced as cadres can be converted back into workers, then those cadres can certainly be converted back into workers, right?
Mr. Li, Mr. Lu, these six or seven hundred people represent the livelihoods of six or seven hundred families. If not arranged properly, it could lead to a major disaster.
Since you currently have a need for production positions, please help us resolve this temporarily. We will also help you solve any production-related problems. Once we have suitable positions, we will immediately transfer those individuals, okay?

[What a load of crap!]

Although Hu Yanshuo smiled and put on a "begging" attitude, Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang both sensed the threat in his words.

You help us solve these people's job problems, and we'll help you solve your production issues. But if you don't help us solve them... well, that's another story.
In mainland China during the 1990s, power outages were still quite frequent!
Lu Zhizhang said with difficulty, "Director Hu, when we decided to take over Southwest Heavy Truck, we made precise arrangements for manpower, which is the key to our high-efficiency production over the years. So we really can't do what you suggest!"

Hu Yanshuo said nonchalantly, "Hey, President Lu, that's not very realistic. Eighty percent of the workers in a factory with tens of thousands of employees are front-line workers. It's easy to support a few hundred more people! These are difficult times, so let's all think of a solution!"

Hu Yanshuo's statement, "We need to support a few hundred more people," reveals his true thoughts.

What kind of "doing manual labor instead of manufacturing" means sending those men who have been idle for decades back to the factory to swing sledgehammers? Is that even possible?
Lu Zhizhang smacked his lips, then gritted his teeth and stamped his foot: "Director Hu, this isn't just about a few hundred people; it concerns our entire plan. How about this? We'll report to the capital immediately and come up with a feasible solution as soon as possible!"

Hu Yanshuo's face turned cold: "Is such a trivial matter really necessary to make such a big fuss and ask for instructions from the capital?"

Lu Zhizhang looked around, then said in a low voice, "Director Hu, our management personnel haven't arrived yet! The reason they haven't arrived is that we haven't finalized the specific candidates, you understand?"

Hu Yanshuo was stunned for a moment, blinked his eyes, as if he understood something.

Lu Zhizhang meant that there were still many people with connections who hadn't been properly placed! There were plenty of openings, and not a single one was idle.

Hu Yanshuo left dejectedly.

Li Ye looked at Lu Zhizhang with a half-smile: "Old Lu, how many positions have you promised to give away?"

"Don't look at me like that, I haven't promised any of them out yet!"

Lu Zhizhang smiled crookedly and said, "However, now that we've arrived in the Southwest, we'll definitely have to offer some benefits. I'm planning to visit the relevant authorities these next few days and resolve any potential bottlenecks."

Li Ye paused for a moment, then smiled crookedly.

The two have been working together for so many years, and Lu Zhizhang has always been doing the work of "building connections," and he is very good at it.

A power outage? No problem! Lu Zhizhang can just go to the power company and solve the problem.

Good steel should be used where it's needed most. People like Hu Yanshuo, whose connections are unclear, can only play an indirect role at most. When it comes to people with direct connections, they don't pose much of a threat.

"Alright! I'll leave these matters to you. I'll also keep an eye on things with the authorities in Beijing, and make sure they're not fooled by the promise of 'the livelihoods of six or seven hundred people'."

"You can't fool them."

Lu Zhizhang pursed his lips and said, "Li Ye, don't listen to Hu Yanshuo's complaints. Even if there were twice as many people, let alone six or seven hundred, they could manage to squeeze in a few. Nobody is willing to put in their best effort unless they are forced into it."

"."

Li Ye blinked and suddenly remembered a rant his father had given him in his previous life.

At that time, my father's workplace began to lay off employees, and countless people lost their livelihoods overnight, having to rely on their own abilities to make a living.

However, these hardships were largely ignored by the management. In the following years, people only heard that Zhang went to the XX Bureau, Li went to the XX Institute, and Wang went to the XX Committee.
With the exception of a very few individuals, it seems that the massive unemployment had no impact on them.

(End of this chapter)