My Prime Minister is so cute

Just as Phoebe was thinking this.

Bird seemed to have thought of something and suddenly said, "But speaking of it, this accident seems to be a good opportunity."

"good chance?"

The district chief finally came back online. He was stunned for a moment and asked in confusion, "What good opportunity?"

Even though I just lost face, this situation has happened more than once or twice, and I'm almost used to it.

Phoebe pondered for a moment, then a look of sudden realization appeared on her face. She said with admiration, "I see. Mr. Bird, are you planning to use this incident to rectify the factory's lack of attention to worker safety and improve worker protection?"

"So this is indeed a good opportunity. After all, many laws are added after accidents happen. We can also take this opportunity to improve the relevant laws..."

"No no no."

Bird denied it, saying, "What I mean is, this is a good opportunity to further promote our electric lights."

Phoebe: “Huh???”

She was stunned for a long moment. "Selling electric lights? Why? Isn't Forks already full of streetlights? And didn't he just close a deal in Central City?"

"The problem is this."

Bird said seriously, "Cheap, high-performance electric lights have been installed throughout the streets of Forks, but these ignorant factory owners, in order to save costs, have not even thought about upgrading their equipment. We have received very few orders! This is really too much!"

"This accident happened just in time. We can issue a regulation requiring all factories to install electric lights and send people to conduct safety inspections. Those that fail to pass the inspection will not be allowed to resume operations."

"Oh?"

Hearing that he could make money again, the district chief's eyes lit up at first, but then he said worriedly, "That makes sense, Bird, but isn't this too easy for people to see?"

"It doesn't necessarily require electric lights," Bird smiled. "We stipulate that we can write 'lighting equipment that meets a certain brightness'—as for whether they choose our cheap and easy-to-use electric lights or our expensive magic lamps, it's up to them..."

"Of course, candles definitely won't work. The brightness doesn't meet the requirements. We can send people to regularly inspect the factory to see if the brightness of the lighting equipment meets the requirements."

"This is different from the previous installation of street lights. This time the government doesn't have to spend a penny. They just need to send a few people to supervise and inspect."

"This is a great victory for workers, who now have a much safer working environment."

"For factory owners, although the initial investment is quite a bit, it's manageable if they grit their teeth. Furthermore, installing electric lights increases the working hours, so the investment can be recovered over time..."

"As for you, Mr. District Head, you have improved the working environment of the vast majority of workers and maintained their health and safety. The newspaper will absolutely faithfully record this great achievement of yours and put it on the most eye-catching page of the newspaper..."

"I'm going to call this proposal the 'Workforce Safety Guarantee Plan.'

"This will be a long-term plan. In addition to ensuring bright lights, we can also add different inspection items in the future according to the situation!"

"Oh oh oh!"

Upon hearing that it could be in the newspaper again, Avril's eyes lit up. "What a great idea, Bird! I can get it in the newspaper again... ahem, I mean. It's indeed a good proposal. With the increase in the number of factories and workers, improving the working environment of the workers is imperative!"

Bird smiled and said, "You are right, District Chief."

"It's decided. I'll leave this matter to you, Bird!" Avril said happily.

Bird continued to smile: "Yes, Mr. District Chief."

The two were discussing heatedly.

Phoebe, who was sitting beside the desk listening, felt very uneasy and had a very conflicted look on her face.

Here it comes again, here it comes again, this familiar feeling.

It is clear that the final result of the new policy is good and it has indeed improved people's lives.

Obviously everyone got a satisfactory result.

But every time the process and starting point of this new policy were brought up, she, who was familiar with the inside story, always felt indescribable awkwardness and discomfort all over her body.

The campaign to crack down on organized crime was ostensibly aimed at curbing crime and maintaining public order, but in reality it was driven by a shortage of cheap workers and the desire to capture unemployed criminals to build the railway for free.

The Bright Plan was ostensibly aimed at ensuring nighttime travel safety and boosting the economy, but in reality it was a profit-making scheme to sell electric lights.

The current labor protection law, ostensibly intended to protect workers' rights and ensure their safety at work, was actually designed to make money selling electric lights.

Why is it always so weird???

Chapter 157: The District Chief with a Strong Opinion

Bird didn't notice Phoebe's abnormality, but continued to perfect his next plan.

"If they're using this as an opportunity to sell light bulbs... I mean, to improve working conditions, then this incident can't just be brushed aside; it needs to be made a big deal."

Bird said, "We need to fully mobilize the public's sympathy and leverage the surge of public opinion to better promote the passage of new regulations and reduce resistance... Otherwise, the collective opposition of those factory owners will be very difficult to deal with."

"Haha, from a certain perspective, this is much more troublesome than building a railway. After all, this involves the interests of more than one family."

"Bird, do you want me to give a speech?"

Avril's ears moved slightly after hearing this: "Don't worry, leave it to me."

Unlike the stage fright he felt when he gave his first speech, the district mayor is now a seasoned man. Not only is he not stage frightened when giving speeches, he even occasionally enjoys the feeling of being cheered by the people, especially when he is doing something he believes is right and enjoying the cheers.

Although I still refuse to memorize the speech.

"Speech is also necessary, but first of all, empathy must be mobilized."

He pondered for a moment, then said to the awkward secretary, "Phoebe, could you please arrange a time... um, tomorrow morning would be fine. There's no other important work... well, there's no such thing. Anyway, the mayor wants to visit the injured workers. Please go and arrange it."

"Ah, I think so?" Avril blinked.

"You want to," Bird said affirmatively. "You want to meet with them, express your support for the injured workers, and condemn the labor conditions."

"Only by taking the initiative to visit can we show sufficient concern and attention."

"Oh."

Avril nodded innocently, then put on a serious expression. "Phoebe, I want to meet with them to express my concern and support for the injured workers, and to condemn the working conditions... By the way, Bird, shouldn't we call the reporters from the newspaper as well?"

"Yes, and reporters."

Bird nodded and said, "Just do as the mayor says, Phoebe."

After hearing this, Phoebe stood up from her seat, but did not move. Instead, she stood there, fiddling with her two fingers nervously, and seemed to be hesitating about something on her little face.

"What's wrong, Phoebe?"

Seeing her strange look, Avril asked doubtfully, "Is there anything else to add?"

"District Chief."

Phoebe hesitated for a long time before finally summoning her courage and saying, "Well, emotionally, I tend to support injured workers exercising their right to protect their lives and property. However, considering the overall situation, based on existing laws and precedents, and from a rational perspective, there may be some actions that don't comply with relevant regulations..."

In the Forks district, the secretary learned some strange things besides her government work.

Avril: “…What?”

"Ahem, Phoebe."

Bird coughed twice and reminded him, "Don't use euphemisms in front of the District Chief. Be as direct as possible."

"Ok."

Phoebe nodded seriously and spoke directly, "Well, I think this decision is a bit unfair to the factory owner. After all, based on past court rulings, both parties are equally responsible. Isn't it a bit inappropriate to unilaterally punish the factory owner?"

"Well, now that you put it that way it seems to be a little bit."

Avril thought it made sense, and after thinking about it, she felt a little undecided, so she turned to Bird and asked, "Bird, what do you think?"

"well enough."

Bird shrugged. "It'll just be a headline-grabbing, a district-wide outcry, a public apology, and a hefty compensation payment... It's just a minor issue. It won't bankrupt us."

"Phoebe, it seems like just a minor problem."

So Avril turned around and said, "Bird said so."

"..."

Phoebe was silent for a moment, then couldn't help but complain, "Mr. District Head, this is clearly unfair! You should have a little more of your own opinion! You can't just believe everything others say!"

"Who said that? I've always been very opinionated!"

Avril retorted, then thought for a moment: "But what you said does make sense. It seems a bit unfair..."

Bird glanced at Phoebe, raised his eyebrows, and changed his sitting posture. "Miss Phoebe, if you have any ideas, why not just say it directly? We won't get any results by discussing it this way."

"......"

Although she felt a heavy pressure from Bird, Phoebe still spoke frankly, "Mr. District Mayor, I understand that in order to implement labor and environmental protection, we need to support this injured worker, and this also requires the factory owner to make a certain degree of sacrifice. This is unavoidable."

"But I think the district chief could make a fairer decision if possible. For example, how about giving the factory owner some compensation privately?"

Some things cannot be changed.

But she still hopes to be as fair as possible.

“A fair decision…”

Avril seemed to have thought of something, her face became much more serious, and she said seriously: "That makes sense, Bird, I should make a fair decision, why not give him some compensation privately as a consolation."

"That's not necessary," Bird said nonchalantly. "He's just a small factory owner. If he doesn't do it, there are plenty of people who will. Besides, it's just a loss of money, no big deal."

"No.

Avril really had her own opinion this time. She shook her head and said, "Bird, as a fair district chief, although we have to let him suffer some losses publicly due to necessity, he still has to compensate him privately... By the way, Bird, how about we sell the streetlights to him at half price later?"

Bird looked up at the sky: "I think he might go and buy a magic lamp in a fit of rage."

"Well, be direct then. Give me the money."

Avril thought of this old-fashioned but effective idea: "How about a tax refund? It would be like compensating the government for paying for him."

"Mr. District Head, we can't give a factory a tax rebate without reason. We have to have a legitimate reason." Seeing that he had made up his mind, Bird sighed helplessly and continued, "If you really want to compensate, you can set up an award to select outstanding factory owner representatives to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the Forks District and reward them with a tax rebate."

"Outstanding factory owner representative?"

Avril blinked. "To a factory that just had an accident?"

"Isn't it possible?" Bird asked back.

“…It seems that it is not impossible.”

Avril frowned and said, "It's decided then. After visiting the injured workers tomorrow, we'll go meet the factory owner."

I was delighted to hear that the suggestions I made were actually adopted.

Phoebe immediately felt a lot more relaxed, and nodded with a hint of gratitude, "Yes, Mayor."

Bird raised his eyebrows slightly when he saw this, stood up from his seat and walked towards the door: "Phoebe, come out with me for a moment."

Chapter 158 I Don’t Like Uniforms

"Phoebe, come out with me for a moment. I have something to talk to you about."

"Uh, okay."

Phoebe nodded and followed him out of the mayor's office.

After returning to the office, Bird did not sit behind the desk. Instead, he poured two glasses of sherry. After handing one to Phoebe, he moved a stool and sat in the middle, and motioned Phoebe to sit down face to face, as if it was a simple chat between two friends.

"Miss Phoebe, do you know why I want to talk to you?" Bird asked

"I have a rough guess." Phoebe held her wine glass in both hands. "Is it compensation for the factory owner? You just refuted it in front of the mayor."

"Then do you know why I disagree?" Bird asked again.

"Because you think it's unnecessary?"

Phoebe thought for a moment and said, "After all, he's just a small factory owner. Mr. Bird, you don't think it's necessary to put in the effort."

"Because it's too troublesome, I won't do it." Bird couldn't help laughing. "Miss Phoebe, this kind of reason only applies to the mayor."

"Forehead......."

Phoebe lowered her head in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, what's the reason."

"Of course, it's because it creates hidden dangers." Bird suppressed his smile. "Imagine that we publicly condemn the factory owner, strongly support the injured workers, push public opinion to a climax, and prepare to enact new laws to rectify the working environment."

"Then, at this time, someone revealed that we privately compensated the factory owner and gave him a tax rebate. What would others think?"

Phoebe asked, "What will you think?"

Bird said, "All the factory owners who admitted their defeat will begin to wonder if everything that happened before was just a play put on by us and that person. Even worse, the public will be incited to suspect that we orchestrated this accident from beginning to end, just to sacrifice a poor worker's arm!"

Phoebe was startled and a little flustered: "It's not that exaggerated, right?"

Bird smiled and said, "It will only get more exaggerated than this."