‘You get what you pay for’: China woman naps 5 hours in office, in Noida workers protest for basic pay

A workers’ protest over wages turned violent in Noida on Monday, with large-scale disruption reported across key industrial areas. According to reports, employees had gathered to demand better pay and improved working conditions, but the agitation escalated into clashes, arson, and vandalism as the day progressed.

Around the same time, a very different form of protest surfaced in neighbouring China, where a woman chose an unusual way to express her frustration with low wages. As reported by the South China Morning Post, the woman, based in central China, staged a silent protest by taking a five-hour nap inside her office during working hours.

In a video shared online, she explained her reasoning, saying, “I will not leave. I will make him understand the concept of what you get is what you pay for.” Addressing criticism, she added, “For those who criticise me, you do not understand people like me who have such a low salary.” Her act has since sparked conversations on workplace expectations and fair compensation.

Back in Noida, the situation turned tense as protests intensified through the afternoon. Vehicles, including police SUVs, were reportedly set on fire, while incidents of stone-pelting and damage to public property were reported from multiple locations. Traffic movement was severely affected, with major routes witnessing long jams.

The Uttar Pradesh Police used mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order. Authorities also registered FIRs against two social media handles on X, accusing them of spreading rumours linked to the unrest. The state government has constituted a special panel to look into workers’ demands and address the situation.

Violence was first reported in the afternoon and continued sporadically until around 5 pm, after which the situation gradually stabilised. Officials confirmed that no major incidents were reported later in the evening.
The unrest, which began in the morning, left thousands of commuters stranded during peak hours. Long queues of vehicles were seen at the Delhi-Noida border, with congestion reported at Sector 62, Sector 63, National Highway-24, and the Chilla border. Protesters blocked several key stretches, including routes connecting Sector 62 to Sector 16 and parts of NH-9. Officials said workers from industrial units in Phase-2 and Sector 60 had gathered in large numbers, raising slogans over long-pending demands for wage revision. Similar protests were also reported from Sector 62 and Sector 84, including at a Motherson group unit, while NH-9 remained blocked for a significant period.

Authorities noted that workers had been mobilising support for the protest over the past two days. However, the immediate trigger for the violence remains unclear.

Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said on Tuesday that more than 300 individuals had been arrested so far, and seven FIRs registered in connection with the incident.

With PTI Inputs