When the big earthquake happened three years ago, Liu Meijuan from Mianyang, Sichuan and Gao Yuan from Deyang, Sichuan were working in the album workshop of Guangbo. “At that time, only felt the shaken of the house, never thought of the earthquake, and also did not expect that my home would suffer such a huge disaster.” More than an hour later, with constant incoming calls, they learnt about the disaster.
“At that time, I found it hard to believe. After the call got through, learning my family was fine, only the house fell down, I was relieved, but still feared. One or two days later, the factory had a meeting to condole with employees from Sichuan. I cried at that time. I have contacted with my family and they were not hurt. But some colleagues couldn’t get in touch with their family. Their anxious look made me feel sad and feared.” When Liu Meijuan talks about the scene, her rim has some extensive red. Her home has five rooms. Three fell down, one inclined and one got cracked. “All rooms have been rebuilt. The government there gave subsidies. And our factory also cared about employees in earthquake region, and gave some subsidies according to different degree of damage areas.” It is said that after the earthquake, learning of some employees couldn’t get in touch with their family, the company specially registered various information about these employees as well as their family members, including address, telephone and so on. What’s more, make use of the company’s office in Chengdu, timely help these employees learn from relief information and try to help employees get in touch with their family.
Soon after the earthquake, Gao Yuan got in touch with his family, learning that his wife and daughter were safe, only the house was destroyed. “That day was also my grandpa’s birthday. The family served two or three tables. The earthquake happened while they were eating. My daughter told me the ground of the school playground cracked and closed again. Hearing that, I was sacred.” Gao Yuan says, at that time, he wanted to ask for leave and went back home. However, album and folder are highly seasonal products. Usually from early April to the end of June is the busiest time, and are short of workers. “The factory encouraged us to contact more with family and gave everyone 100 yuan for the telephone bill. Those who couldn’t get in touch with the family, the factory also helped them to ask through various relations. Particularly approved employee’s leave who was in earthquake region. I went home on May 25, asking the leave of half a month.”
When the earthquake happened, Guangbo Group has over 600 employees from Sichuan. More than 200 of them from earthquake disaster areas like Deyang, Mianzhu, Dujiangyan and so on. The Group took out 0.2 million yuan to convey its sympathy to over 200 employees from earthquake disaster areas. Each one could get the money from 800 to 5000 yuan. Meanwhile, the company called for other employees to donate for those employees from earthquake disaster areas, help them through the hard times and let them feel the warmth of Ningbo. Besides, after the earthquake, Guangbo Group donated about 1.3 million yuan donation funds or goods (over 0.3 million yuan donation from employees)
When interviewed, the reporter found it interesting that Ningbo was the first station to Liu Meijuan and Gao Yuan when they left their hometown and worked out and Guangbo was their first job. “I’ve been working in Guangbo for eight years. I used to graduate from technical secondary school. I studied Chinese and Western Medicine, but it was hard to find a job at that time. Our neighbor has been working in Guangbo for two or three years, told me Ningbo is very good and Guangbo’s salary is also nice. So I came too. I almost waited for a month till Guangbo hired people. I remembered over 80 people went there. 18 of them were hired, and I was one of them.” I got started in the album workshop. “I felt disappointed when I found what I learned at school is useless. Whether you educated or not almost did the same job. At that time we should pay over 60 yuan for medical insurance premiums. I didn’t want to pay, because I didn’t think of settling home in Ningbo.”
Gao Yuan came to Guangbo also introduced by fellow-villager. “Before I came, I did farm work at home. When I came to Guangbo, at first I did the packing. Later the workshop bought new machines. I like to delve into and was sent to learn operation from producers. Later I became the leader, responsible for the machine maintenance and check.” Gao Yuan said, Guangbo provides a stage for employees with ability and specialty. Motivated people will find the ladder of progress. It made him as well as his fellow from Sichuan feel secure here.
Liu Meijuan may have more feeling about this. She used to hold part-time mentality, what have learned has nothing to do. During working in Guangbo, she got a college diploma, and became a workshop director from a worker at the production line. “I’m really thankful for Guangbo, and coming to Ningbo is my right choice. The factory provides employees who match the requirements the opportunity of going to college. That’s part-time study. I studied for two or three years, and got a college diploma on enterprise management. At that time, I studied with other 30 colleagues. I remembered each one got reimbursed of 7000 yuan from the factory. I thought such is life nothing special. But later I noticed some middle management grew up from workers at the production line. The factory also provides study such good opportunity. After got my diploma, last year, I became the director of workshop.” It is said that Guangbo Group actively cooperate with city and district labour department as well as some colleges. By means of providing “Guangbo Scholarship”, grant appropriate subsidies for employees to study college, encourage employees to study. Up till now, the number of employees who upgrade from high school to junior college has increased to about 300.
Three years has passed since the disaster. Liu Meijuan rebuilt 6 new rooms in her hometown, and got married in Ningbo. At present, her husband, kid, parents-in-law all live in Ningbo. Gao Yuan’s family also lives in the
