Shanghai is continuing its fight in a rather radical way to contain a very strong resurgence of Covid-19. This paralyzes the city and its economy and forces its inhabitants to… pile up like human cattle in giant closed centers†
Or, in a Chinese financial capital that can’t afford to be shut down, barricading itself day and night in offices converted into sleeping forts, as is already the case for many employees†
This is exactly what has been decided for the workers of the city’s Tesla factory, which normally produces about 2,000 vehicles a day, half of what the company produces each day worldwide.
As Bloomberg reported on April 18 and after a closure that endangers the overall health of the businessexplains an internal company memo that they will have to enter a “closed circuit” system, and this up to 1er May at least.
The modern penal colony
Clear? They now have to sleep, eat and live there. Not in dormitories, which aren’t there, but apparently on the floor – a mattress and a blanket will be lent them anyway. The memo states that special areas will be set up for ablutions and food, but also for recreation.
Tested once they enter this closed circuit, workers will benefit from a daily coupon worth about 400 yuan (58 euros) for their spending in this infernal quasi-prison factory, the amount of which can vary according to the person’s hierarchical position.
The workers won’t have much time for the hobbies that Tesla is preparing for them (perhaps video games on the car assembly line?): they are expected to grind twelve hours a day, six days a week, instead of the usual three-eight hours. .
As Business Insider points outif the thing is new to Tesla, it is not to many other Chinese factories, who already have the necessary facilities to keep their staff on site day and night.
Fearing that economic activity will slow down too much, local authorities are forcing factories to imitate GM† SAIC and its 5,000 workers or now Tesla, and to resume their activities in such closed circuits.
General and in all sectors (like computing with Quanta Computer, which assembles Apple MacBooks), 600 factories have already answered the call. It is therefore tens of thousands of workers who will live and work there in the coming weeks, as in modern prisons – and paid.
