Declaring War for Love (Afterword: Q&A)
- Albert Wang
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
June 6th, 2024:
"Q: Regina Miracle seems to be quite a large factory. It’s also a listed company. How long have you been working here?
A: Not long. I worked here for two years before, then I left, and later came back again. That’s why you saw me here today.
Q: Why did you leave before?
A: I left for my kids. I gave birth to my son at a hospital near my hometown, and he was raised in my hometown. My kids are left-over children. But when my son was little, I needed to take care of him myself. I had to stay at Yangchun, but I couldn't get enough leave from work at Shenzhen. So I had to quit my job altogether and return to my hometown to raise him. Once he got old enough to go to kindergarten, I left them with their grandparents in Yangchun and went back to work at this factory myself.
Q: Do you have to go back to work later today?
A: Yes, I have to do overtime. We work from 8 am to 9 pm or 10 pm, and we get a lunch break and a dinner break in between. I finish my dinner usually within 10 to 15 minutes, so I get to spend the rest of the break at this park. All workers have the same schedule, the same breaks – except our day ends at different times because we all have different overtime schedule.
Q: Is the overtime schedule something you control yourself, or does the factory assign the tasks?
A: The managers assign the overtime based on how much order the factory gets; they allocate these orders across the different teams. So some people work until 9pm, others until 10pm. I usually work until 9.Q: Is the overtime pay calculated by the hours you work?A: It depends on the job type. Some get paid by time, others by piece rate. Different lines and roles.
Q: So, the longer they assign you to work, the more overtime pay you receive?
A: Yes. It's based on piece rate or hourly rate, so the more you work, the more you earn. More labor, more pay. That's why some people try to get on good terms with the supervisors to get more task assignments.
Q: Where on the production line do you work at?
A: I’m on the sewing line. Sewing is not as demanding – even people who are slow with their hands can do it. But some other positions require more skill and quick movements.
Q: Do you operate sewing machines manually or use computerized equipment?
A: We use computer-controlled machines. Well, it's actually quite simple. Once you start learning, you can get the hang of it quickly.
Q: How much can one typically earn at this factory per month?
A: It varies a lot. Some earn a few thousand yuan, some up to ten thousand. If you’re really fast-handed and get a lot of orders, you could earn over ten thousand.
Q: I noticed some workers live in factory dorms. Others rent housing outside the factory. Is that based on their position or seniority?
A: Not really, the workers are all quite similar [in that respect]. Unmarried workers usually live in the factory dorms and share the dorm room with a few colleagues. Couples and married workers, especially those with kids, generally rent housing outside since it’s more convenient. My husband and I rent a place outside.
Q: How far is that from the factory?
A: Seven kilometers. I ride an electric bike to work, and it takes my husband three minutes to walk from where we live to the factory he works in.
Q: Oh, that’s quite convenient. So not much of household expenses are on transportation?
A: Yes. We barely spend anything on transportation.
Q: Now that we’re talking about household expenses, is living in Shenzhen expensive?
A: It’s not cheap. But expensive…? Maybe not, either. Well, me and my husband’s combined incomes can definitely cover the entire family’s expenses. We just have to be cheap and budget carefully. We spend one person's income each month and save the other’s.
Q: How much can you typically save?
A: Around 5,000 yuan per month. We have to save some money every month to cover our kids’ expenses. Around 5,000 yuan per month. We have to save some money every month to cover our kids’ expenses. You know, when kids get to high school, their expenses really start piling up.
Q: 5,000 yuan a month, that amounts to 60,000 a year?
A: Yeah. But not really. Our expenses back home [Yangchun hometown] are quite high. My mother-in-law helps take care of our kids, and we send her 500 yuan a month on top of the kids’ living costs. My kids are “left-behind” children. I also have to support my own aging parents. They can’t farm in the fields to support themself anymore.
Q: Do you send the same amount [of money] to both sides of the family [i.e. your parents vs. your husband’s parents]?
A: I give more to my parents, for sure (chuckles). I mean, they raised me and now I’m here.
Q: How often do you visit your hometown?
A: It's not fixed. I don’t have a set schedule for that. My hometown is fairly close, so sometimes when I have a weekend off and really miss my kids, I’ll just go back [to Yangchun] to see them.
Q: How close is it?
A: 276 kilometers.
Q: 276 kilometers, that’s quite precise.
A: We usually drive back ourselves, so I remember the exact distance.
Q: Do you rent cars? Or do you own one?
A: Yes, we bought a used car, paid in full up front. We can’t afford paying for a new car in full, and if we deal with car finance, that’d put too much pressure on us.
Q: Right, and with two children, there are always places you need to spend money on.
A: Monthly payments from car finance, from housing finance, are heavy burdens. That’s why we built our own house on our land in the village instead of buying a home elsewhere, housing constructed by [real estate] development companies, you know.
Q: Are the children doing well in school?
A: They’re about average, not exceptionally high or low [achievers]. They get ok grades.
Q: That's still quite an accomplishment, especially considering they’re not with you here. You must be very proud of them.
A: Yes and I tell my children – my daughter, and later my son, ‘Studying is up to you, for education, they are on their own. I can’t really help you. If I can't support your studies, your education [financially], it's my problem. But if you don’t work hard, if you don’t do well, it's on you to reflect on yourself.’ That's what I tell my daughter.
Q: When your children see you and your husband’s hard work, they will be motivated to put in the effort, to work hard themselves too.
Q: Of all the garment factories you've worked at, which one did you find the best?
A: It’s called Fuhua, Fuhua was the best, the Fuhua in Xia Cun, Guangming [District], the place belongs to the Guangming district. They offered good benefits, the work conditions were nice, and also decent wages.
Q: But in the end, you’re back to Regina Miracle [factory]. Is it because the wages here are higher?
A: Haha, yes, once you have the kids, you naturally want to earn a bit more.
Q: This factory seems to have a nice environment around it, being right across from the park. Do you usually hang out here after work?
A: Yes, in the evenings there are people dancing, singing, playing sports, doing all sorts of stuff in the park square. But we’ll be moving out of here soon. Area B of this factory has already relocated, so that part of the building is cleared empty, it’s all the way over there (pointing to the other end of the street).
Q: Where’s the factory moving to? Why the move?
A: We’re moving to Zhaoqing [a smaller city ~150 miles Northwest of Shenzhen]. The factory buildings in this area [Shenzhen] are owned by the local village’s village collective. It’s not the property of the company behind this factory, Regina Miracle.
Q: I see. A lot of factories in Shenzhen are relocating to nearby cities like Huizhou and Zhaoqing to reduce costs [of renting the factory buildings].
A: Yeah it’s probably because the rents are cheaper in Zhaoqing. I also heard that the factory buildings in Zhaoqing are owned by Regina Miracle, so the company pays no rent for using them. I'm not sure of the exact reasons. They didn’t tell me.
Q: I saw a group of people entering the factory area around late afternoon, discussing something in front of the buildings.
A: They’re probably people from the village collective. Or perhaps people from companies that are considering renting this place once we’re gone. Either one of those.
Q: Are you planning to move with the factory?
A: Yes, I’ll be going along. Anyone willing to move can move with the factory, and the factory will assign the date for you to move. It’s my turn tomorrow. I’ll leave tomorrow morning.
Q: Are there people who decide not to move?
A: Yes. Almost half of the workers aren’t moving. Or one third, maybe; I’m not really sure how it’s like on other parts of the [assembly] line. Those who aren’t moving will have to find another job at another factory, I guess.
Q: Oh and that’s why you're leaving tomorrow?
A: Yes. I can't afford to lose my job. But the factory also offers to transport a lot of my things – also myself – for free. Zhaoqing isn’t that far from Shenzhen.
Q: Are you satisfied with your current life?
A: It’s pretty good.
Q: And that’s why you look so young – your positiveness must be a big part of it.
A: Haha, I’m satisfied with my life because I don’t ask for much in many aspects, and that changes my mood. I’m happy as long as my family is safe and well, that’s the most important thing and for me, that’s enough. Anyways, I need to get going [for overtime].”
And with that, Xiao Mei left, leaving many more questions still unanswered…
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