▁After the▁7▁Days of the▁National▁Day▁Challenge: Hebei▁Union▁employee▁called▁vacations a▁marketing sprint

A▁video▁by the Swearer is▁pushing Hebei to the▁front of the▁National▁Day▁overtime▁dispute. The▁30▁September▁release▁shows a▁group of▁employees in▁uniform▁taking a▁vow of▁fists,▁including▁slogans▁such▁as “In the▁7▁Day▁National▁Day▁Challenge, the▁goal is the▁sword, the▁performance is the▁shield, and the▁aim is the▁end of the sprint”. The▁video was▁then▁disseminated on▁social▁platforms and▁attracted▁messages from▁self-proclaimed▁communications▁practitioners, who▁said that some of them▁required▁staff to▁continue to▁market▁broadband,▁food▁packages and so on in the▁community from 1 to▁7▁October.

It is now▁possible to▁confirm that this▁video of the▁7▁Days of the▁National▁Day▁Challenge▁has▁been▁made▁available▁online and that the▁content▁has▁been▁further▁disseminated▁after▁its▁transmission▁by Mr.▁Lee is not your▁teacher; <a href="https://fanzei.net/t_0n5pl9/timelineThe time▁line for the▁incident of the▁anti-tort▁network is▁also▁recorded▁at the Hebei▁Union Psycht▁Assembly </a> on▁September▁30th. ▁As for the▁comments of the▁comment▁area on “no-one-size-fits-all” “no▁overtime” “self-upload▁broadband”,▁which is▁mainly from▁staff and▁netizens, no▁public▁statement▁has▁been▁made▁by Hebei▁Links on▁these▁specific▁allegations.

In▁contrast to the▁explosion in▁social▁platforms, Hebei▁has▁continued to▁emphasize “national▁day▁communications▁security”▁through▁its▁own▁public▁campaign. <a href="https://weibo.com/2/detail/5346684366490565"target" rel = "nopener noreferrer" data-linked-reference = "tru" data-reference-label = "Webbo,▁China Utun Habei▁branch" —▁its▁official▁microblogging▁video </a> on▁24▁September,▁said that it▁had▁deployed▁security▁missions▁around▁key▁areas▁such▁as▁stations,▁view▁areas and so▁forth▁during the▁festival. ▁While▁communications▁security is in▁itself a▁public▁service▁requirement▁during▁holidays, the▁staff▁members '▁revelations are not about▁either the retrofit▁or the▁network, but▁rather about▁sales sprints and▁performance▁indicators for the▁community,▁which are▁also▁at the▁heart of the▁controversy.

▁One▁web▁commenter▁stated that▁during the▁holiday▁period, there was a need to “suspend the▁connections and▁ask for” to▁complete the▁broadband▁target,▁or▁even to▁advance the▁money; ▁Others have▁stated that▁companies▁require▁daily▁access to▁community▁marketing. ▁Since▁these▁claims have not▁been▁independently▁verified▁by▁enterprises,▁trade▁unions▁or▁labour▁inspectorates, it▁cannot be▁judged that all the▁sub-units of Hebei are▁under the▁same▁arrangement. ▁However, in▁terms of the▁scale of the▁dissemination, the▁narrative▁clearly▁hit the▁persistent▁performance▁pressure on▁communications▁sales▁posts and the▁issue of▁holiday▁breaks.

▁Such▁disputes do not▁depend on▁whether the▁enterprise▁calls the▁mission “challenges”. <a href="https://www.mohrss.gov.cn/xxgk2020/fdzdgknr/zcfg/fl/202011/t20201102_394625.html"target" = "_blank" rel = "noopener noreferrer"▁data-linked-reference= "true"▁data-reference-label = "the▁Labour▁Law of the▁Ministry of▁Human▁Welfare" –▁Article 43 of the▁Chinese▁Labour▁Law▁stipulates that▁employers▁may not▁extend▁working▁hours of▁workers in▁violation of the▁law; ▁Article 44▁further▁clarifies that▁if▁work on a▁rest▁day is not▁available, a▁remuneration of not▁less▁than 200▁per▁cent of the▁salary▁shall be▁paid, and a▁remuneration of not▁less▁than 300▁per▁cent of the▁salary▁shall be▁paid for▁work on a▁statutory▁holiday. The▁Human▁Welfare▁Department▁has▁also▁expressly▁explained▁previously that▁extra▁work on▁statutory▁holidays▁cannot be▁replaced▁by▁compensatory time▁off.

In▁other▁words,▁if▁an▁employee is▁forced to▁perform▁sales,▁push▁or▁other▁normal▁business▁activities on a▁statutory▁holiday,▁whether the▁enterprise▁pays▁overtime▁pay in▁accordance with the▁law, and▁whether there are▁disguised▁forced▁overtime, it is not just▁an▁internal▁regulatory▁issue, but a▁matter of▁labour▁law▁enforcement. In▁particular, when▁performance▁indicators are▁linked to▁bonuses,▁appraisals,▁renewals▁or▁placements, the▁real▁voluntariness of so-called “voluntary sprints”▁depends on▁whether the▁employee can▁refuse and the▁consequences of▁such▁refusals.

Hebei▁Interconnection is not a▁small▁marginal▁company. ▁As a▁provincial▁branch of▁China's▁connection in Hebei,▁its▁marketing▁system▁covers▁cities,▁counties and a▁large▁number of▁grass-roots▁business▁networks. <a href="https://www.huawei.com/cn/news/2026/6/unicom-token-economy"target" rel = "nopener noreferrer"▁data-linked-reference= "tru"▁data-reference-label = "Wah for▁official▁activity" > In▁May this▁year,▁China▁joined the▁Brand and▁Product▁Extension and▁Partners▁Conference in Hebei to▁continue to▁promote▁local▁market▁outreach. ▁While it is not▁difficult to▁understand▁business▁logic to▁pull out of▁business with a▁centralized▁marketing▁drive▁during the▁Fourth▁Day, the▁imbalance▁between▁performance▁management and▁labour▁rights is▁revealed when▁costs are▁ultimately▁shifted to the▁achievement of▁targets for▁non-reimbursable▁overtime,▁personal▁advances▁or▁private▁relationships for▁grass-roots▁employees.

This▁public▁opinion▁has a▁fascinating▁background. ▁On▁24▁September, a▁large▁number of “two-span”▁messages▁appeared on the▁screen▁following the▁launch of a▁national▁holiday▁campaign▁video▁by the▁central YCL on▁site B. A▁few▁days▁later, the▁images of the▁sworn enthusiasts who▁joined Hebei to the▁7▁Days of the▁National▁Day▁Challenge▁spread▁over the▁Internet. ▁Two▁unrelated▁events were▁discussed▁by the▁Internet,▁reflecting the▁difference▁between the “leave▁narrative” in the▁festival▁campaign and the▁actual▁working▁status of some▁workers.

▁As▁at 2▁October, the▁public▁search▁had not▁revealed that Hebei was▁responding to▁specific▁statements▁such▁as “no-time▁pay”▁or “staff▁advance▁completion▁targets”,▁nor▁had the▁local▁community▁department▁published the▁relevant▁survey. The▁next▁step in this▁matter is not to▁continue to▁expand▁anonymous▁messages, but▁rather to▁arrange for the▁company to▁schedule, take▁off and▁work▁overtime on▁public▁holidays, and to▁indicate▁whether the so-called “National▁Day▁Challenge▁7” is a▁voluntary▁marketing▁exercise▁or a▁mandatory▁task to be▁included in the▁appraisal.

▁If a▁large▁state▁enterprise can▁publicly▁mobilize▁its▁employees for “sprinting”▁performance▁before the▁festival, it is▁equally▁necessary to▁answer▁publicly:▁where are the▁boundaries of the sprint, who▁guarantees the▁workers ' right to▁rest, and▁whether the▁costs of▁meeting the▁target are▁borne▁by the▁enterprise▁or are squeezed on the▁individual▁employees▁at the▁grass-roots▁level.