American variety show: The Godfather, the Peace Ambassador, what the heck?

Chapter 99 The Union Farce
Jersey City.

Truck Drivers Union Chapter 560

Today is a special day. More than two weeks after the death of the previous president, Pro, a new president has finally come to take over.

Prior to this, the union had been represented by Pro's former subordinates.

At this moment, in the president's office.

Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man with thin cheeks and black-rimmed glasses—Salvador Briggillo, nicknamed "Sali Bug," Pro's former henchman and assassin, who did all sorts of dirty work for Pro.

Although he was just a low-level partner, Sally was highly valued by Pro, much like Jimmy by Luca's side, who openly managed the club and some businesses for Luca. Sally was a similar figure.

The 560 Guild had many competitors for Pro, but they were all wiped out by the Sally Worm, ensuring that Pro could smoothly become the guild leader.

But Sally never expected that Pro would also be murdered.

Being a club president is a damn high-risk job; you either go to jail or you die.
"Fitz."

Sally spun around in her chair, facing the fat man directly. "According to the rules, after Pro's death, I should succeed him as the union president! I'm the vice president of the union! You've parachuted in a president; you don't respect me at all!"

Fitz's fat face twitched involuntarily.

Damn it, how come all these union leaders are killers who do dirty work?
Frank, the painter, sat next to him, trying to smooth things over: "Sally, I regret Pro's death. He was undoubtedly a wise chairman who fought for many rights and benefits for the workers. We also believe that you are capable of leading the union. However, the new chairman, Luca, is the decision of all of us. His gasoline company and gas stations are the partners that the union urgently needs right now."

Fitz chuckled dryly, rubbing his large belly, "You can still be the vice president. Pigeon Luca is a very easy person to talk to. I believe you can get along well. Besides, his business can make a lot of money, much more than you made with Pro before."

“As the president, I can earn as much as I want from the union. Why should I cooperate with an outsider?” Sally sneered. “As long as I control the union, any gasoline company or gas station that wants to do transportation business will have to get my approval.”

After finally getting rid of that guy Pro, I can take over. Why should I hand it over to someone else?

Sally's sinister gaze made Fitz and Frank exchange bewildered glances. This killer, brimming with violent genes and obsessed with murder and power grabs, seemed not so easily persuaded.

“The new appointment has been made.” Fitz shrugged. “This is also the Mafia’s decision, Sally. You have no other choice.”

Sally adjusted her glasses, stood up from the chairman's seat, and walked over to Fitz and Frank. "You never gave me any other choice. You are high and mighty, and you can decide who the leader of a guild is with just a word. I, on the other hand, have climbed up from the bottom of the guild step by step."

Most of the people in the union are my friends. All the truck drivers here know me, and their families are willing to give me gifts during holidays.

Jersey City is my home, and nobody loves it more than me.

After saying that, Sally strode out of the office.

Fitz glanced at his back with a wary look, then turned back to Frank and said helplessly, "What kind of family is he? He just controls the local gangs. He's so arrogant, he must have the Genovese family backing him."

The Lucchese family also wanted to get involved in the union, and in the dispute between the family's top brass, the Lucchese family had clearly won this time, which made Fitz decide to cooperate with the Lucchese family.

Who can blame them when their business makes more money?
A weekly profit of over seven figures, who can compete with that? Relying on Pro's previous union businesses?

“Fakpro and Sally, those two faks only know how to exploit workers and bleed the union dry.”

"They really went too far."

Frank sighed softly, his gaze drifting into memories. He recalled Jimmy Hoffa's words: Pro had completely spiraled out of control; he stole money from every worker, extorted money from the trucking company, constantly threatened others, and damaged the union's reputation.

Pro and Sally were not people who loved the union at all; they just used it as a money-making machine and exploited it wantonly.

In Frank's memory, only Jimmy Hoffa was a true lover of the union. Although Hoffa also cooperated with the Mafia, he genuinely fought for many benefits for the workers and enacted many laws to protect their rights.

Otherwise, how could he gain the support of workers and become a nationally renowned union president? Even the presidential family had to treat him with respect, because Hoffa held countless votes and could influence the presidential election.

At that moment, Frank thought of his old friend Hoffa again.

The reason he was able to become the president of the 326 union was because Hofa disliked Pro and wanted to put his own people into the union to check Pro.
But he failed to do so, Hoffa went to prison, and the union fell completely into the hands of Fitz and Pro.

Fortunately, Pro died.

But now another pigeon has arrived.
Who knows what kind of mess the pigeons will make of the union this time?

Frank snapped out of his thoughts, his face hardening with a stern expression, and looked at the fat man beside him. "Do you know what Luca the Pigeon is planning? How does he intend to manage the union in the future?"

Fitz spread his hands. "How would I know? As long as he doesn't dissolve the union and the workers, that's fine. Where are these workers going to find work without the protection of the union?"

Frank nodded, and the two of them followed him out of the office.

Upon arriving at the union hall, hundreds of truck drivers had already gathered. The atmosphere was not lively, but rather somewhat oppressive. Many of them were still wearing the old-style badges with Pro's image on their chests to express their attitude and stance.

These are all supporters of the Proletarian faction.

Fitz whispered to Frank, "I advised Pigeon to take office in a few days to avoid inciting public anger, but I didn't expect that even though Pro has been dead for half a month, these people are still thinking about it."

Those who couldn't forget were undoubtedly those who had benefited from Pro. Frank looked around and found that most of the people still didn't wear badges. These people were rather silent, their eyes lifeless, as if they were seeing the same exploitative life day after day again.

One member leaves, another arrives; the guild remains unchanged.
"Farkl Luca! Get out of the 560 Guild!" Suddenly someone shouted, and the crowd was instantly enraged. Many people stood up, raised their arms and shouted, some even stomping on the tables and howling. Many people were incited to loudly resist.

"We demand fair wages! Down with the corrupt union leaders! These damned bastards treat us like slaves, driving 14 hours a day and still not enough to support our families, while Luca drives luxury cars, runs a private club, and drinks the most expensive wines!"

"Fark Mafia, get out of the union!"

"Thugs are not welcome!"

Some people even held up pre-written banners and slogans, and the scene was chaotic. A group of people rushed noisily toward the union gate, some of them holding hammers. The crowd was so dense that it looked like an anthill had been disturbed. The group bravely rushed out of the hall and onto the street outside.

Fitz and Frank looked at each other in bewilderment.

Frank: "It seems like things are spiraling out of control now."

Fitz wiped the cold sweat from his forehead dryly. "I advised Luca to switch to a smaller union further away, but he insisted on 560, saying that Jersey City was close to New York and he didn't want to go too far."

Frank: "."

That's a pretty good reason.

The workers stood on the side of the street and protested loudly, attracting the attention of many passersby who wondered what was wrong with these truck drivers now.

Among the crowd, Sally led the jeering and shouted the loudest, just like a dog without a master.

Frank walked to the side of the road, looked up, and saw a black convoy of cars approaching from a roadside camera not far away.

Brian, who was driving, looked at the lively scene not far away and said with a smile, "Looks like everyone is very welcoming to us. When I join the union, I can teach these drivers how to drift with trucks."

Luca rolled his eyes. "Look again, is that a welcome?"

Brian took a closer look and realized that the signs were full of words of protest, and his face turned pale instantly.

Seriously? What happened to welcoming the new president?
If I get off the bus like this, won't I get beaten up?
Luca rolled down the car window and coldly observed the crowd not far away. He had dressed up specially today, his hair was meticulously trimmed, and the muscle lines under his custom-made black suit were clearly visible. His deep eyes resembled those of a hunter eyeing his prey, calm and full of patience.

Upon arriving at the scene, Jimmy first got out of the car with a group of men in black, surrounded Luca's car, and stopped all the protesters.

[Fragment-40]

[Skill added successfully.]

[Labor extortion: Your deterrent effect on truck driver union members +10%; Money laundering through truck driver unions, conversion rate of illicit funds +10%]

[Remaining Skill Fragments: 16]

The car door opens.

Just by revealing a pair of long, slender legs, before anyone could be seen, all the workers present instinctively shuddered. Some of the drug addicts and gang members suddenly felt their legs go weak, and a strong sense of fear spread from the depths of their hearts.

Everyone involuntarily took a step back.

Luca looked at the leader of the crowd, Sally, walked up to him, took the hammer from his hand, and then patted him on the shoulder lightly.

"A hammer is a good thing. If used correctly, it can build houses; but if used incorrectly, it can only smash things."

Luca looked around. “Tell me, do you want to smash your own jobs and go back to crying in your wives’ arms, or do you want to use your hammers to forge a bigger, faster, and more profitable truck?”

Everyone fell silent, perhaps out of fear, or perhaps because Jimmy and the others had revealed the dark barrels of their guns.

Many workers were so frightened that they instinctively took a step back.

Luca looked directly into some of their eyes until they lowered their heads. "I know what you're all trying to say, 'Oh, look, another capitalist in a suit and driving a luxury car trying to fool us. But!'"

Luca stretched out his hands, covered in calluses and scars. “Look at my hands! They’re just like yours. They’ve been stained with engine oil, blistered and bleeding. I used to hold the steering wheel for more than ten hours a day!”
My father and I also participated in strikes. The thugs from those big companies broke my father's leg, but he still lay on the ground shouting, "Don't surrender!"
Today you boycott me, and I respect you for being men. It shows you haven't been completely tamed by capitalism!

But you've got one thing wrong! I'm not here to be the boss, I'm here to lead you in a war! I'm here today for only three things: fairness! Fairness! And more damn fairness!
Listen up: Starting today, if any truck driver has even a penny deducted from their wages, I'll personally lead a group to block the company gate! If any boss dares to threaten your safety, I'll make them taste the pain of a complete shutdown!

Now, grab your hammers and follow me into this war, I'll lead you to victory; or, like deserters, take those f***ing banners and go back to be your shrouds!

The scene was completely silent; one person's aura overwhelmed everyone.

Luca walked towards the crowd, and everyone unconsciously made way for him, silently watching his back as he entered the union hall.

As the first worker followed into the hall, more and more people soon followed.

"I'd like to see what kind of fairness this is."

Frank, walking in the crowd, heard these words, and even his serious face showed anticipation.

I'd like to see that too.

(End of this chapter)