CHAPTER 486: CHAPTER 464 "AUTUMN DUSK ISLAND GUILD ACT" (PART 2)

Beside Saint’s Grandson standing on the terrace, several monks are reading out the clauses of the "Guild Act" one by one.

Summaries of the act are circulating among the crowd, and the artisans receiving them feel both joy and sorrow.

"What is this? Should we agree?" Asle quietly asks Sharet.

Sharet glances at Asle in surprise, "This isn’t asking, it’s notifying."

"Damn, we have a shallow foundation, no elder to speak for us." Asle laments.

At this moment, Sharet also starts grumbling, knowing that a task divided among five people means many artisans have to wander and seek work.

But with Saint’s Grandson loosening things, one person can do one task, which means more artisans might become unemployed.

That must lead to a price war to attract customers, leaving only the best skilled and cheapest, taking all the money.

But that means their leisurely days are over, and if careless, they could be overtaken by younger artisans.

Although they earn more money, life is still worse than when in the guild.

"Relax, when a large number of artisans leave, His Majesty will calm down," Asle chuckles twice, "Besides, this is perfect; if we team up, we will surely be among those making big money."

Ignoring Asle, Sharet concentrates on reading the act summary handed to him, but as he reads, he exclaims, "Apprenticeship limit, what does this mean?"

"Good question." At some point, Horn walks down from the terrace, protected by several constables, to the group of artisans and workers.

He looks around at the respectfully bowing artisans and workers, smiling, "It means the days of masters recklessly exploiting apprentices are ending."

Horn’s "Guild Act" stipulates that when recruiting apprentices, the masters must have a fixed apprenticeship period.

Currently within the Empire’s guild, a 12-year-old apprentice might remain an apprentice at 30, working for free for the master, only receiving meager pay.

Sharet still remembers a forty-year-old apprentice who, after his uncle passed away, begged his aunt to change from apprentice to laborer.

His aunt knelt with a bang before that old apprentice.

The end result was the old apprentice remained an apprentice, nearly expelled by the guild’s steward master.

His Majesty Saint Sun’s "Autumn Dusk Island Guild Act" stipulates the apprenticeship length, generally two years, four years for hat makers, and only half a year for sawmill workers.

After studying with the master for two years, the apprentice must take the guild-organized standardized artisan skill examination, if they pass, they become laborer.

If not passed, then retake the exam after two years, after three apprenticeship exams, if still no success, apprentices can shift to other artisan masters.

Laborer undergoes a second artisan skill examination after three years, becomes a formal artisan if passed, retakes every three years if failed.

After becoming a formal artisan, they need to work for three years at the master’s workshop to pay for the learning period’s meals and tuition.

Three years later, upon finding work, a tenth of their monthly salary must be paid to the master, or both parties can negotiate a buyout.

Don’t worry if this artisan goes elsewhere, as within the Savior Pope Country, all guilds are managed uniformly.

In the future under the Holy Court, there might even be a guild department.

Regardless of where these apprentices work, the local guild will charge these artisans apprenticeship fees, depositing them in a bank, finally withdrawn at Autumn Dusk Island for these artisan masters.

Thus, the more formal artisan apprentices an artisan master has, the greater their monthly income.

Horn also imposed a limit on the minimum wage for laborers; if someone keeps failing, then wandering as laborers among various workshops isn’t bad either.

A laborer is essentially an artisan working with the master, just without qualifications to independently set up a workshop.

Though this method may still leave an apprentice unable to graduate, there is a relatively official guild organization and a chance to leave the master.

At least wouldn’t be dragged by a poor master for life,

Despite this act not being ideal, it can partially solve issues of craft heritage and innovation.

Horn hopes through this method to excavate reliable artisan talents.

After all, before Horn’s "Natural Theology" matured, most inventors and engineers came from artisans in many places.

But this involves another issue, which is ——

Can there be enough job positions waiting for these artisans? Can the citizens’ consumption cover these artisans’ products?

But that issue falls upon the Salvation Army Government and even the War Monks.

After hearing Horn’s explanation, artisans present wore varied expressions, some with furrowed brows in thought, others resentful.

Rationally, they feel they should applaud this decision, they wasted so much time back then to become artisans.

Emotionally, they feel unbalanced.

They suffered greatly for a formal artisan position, yet future ones won’t suffer and will increase greatly, so what was their suffering worth?

But no matter how dissatisfied, given their current situation with no place to go, they could only hold it in.

"One last matter." After solving inquiries from the artisans one by one over a usual week, standing below the terrace, Horn spoke again, "it’s about the job you’ve been waiting for."

Artisans present all crowded forward, shoulder to shoulder holding their breath, fearing missing anything.

They traveled from Rapids City to this remote corner because they couldn’t find work, and Horn not only ensures formal artisan qualification but even job allocation, right?

They could endure the previous decrees mainly because waiting for the final highlight.

"You are all craftsmen, certainly skills determine superiority, so we will conduct a unified artisan vocational examination.

Upon examination completion, we will allocate you to different workshops based on your scores, even the last place will have somewhere to go.

But let me say upfront, salaries here have no upper limit nor bottom limit.

If you don’t want to earn the lowest salary as an artisan, aim to score high.

Additionally, this exam allows even laborers to participate, upon passing, directly issued laborer certification."

"Issuing laborer certification to laborers?" After a moment of silence, a shriek-like voice arose among the artisans, "This, this is too absurd."

"Indeed, Your Majesty."

"We cannot prove they have sufficient morality to make a qualified product."

"We don’t even know where they learned their crafts."

Ignoring the resentful glances from nearby laborers, artisans protested to Horn.

To Horn’s surprise, they never dared oppose earlier decrees but began objecting on this small matter.

"Alright, alright, all workshops currently lack personnel, special circumstances require special measures." Horn waved his hand, a few constables stepped forward to push people aside, "Aren’t you all locals? What are you opposing?"

"How can it be the same?"

"Your Majesty, would you consider rethinking?"

"No need to consider, this decree accompanies the ’Guild Act.’" Horn ignored them, continuing to explain the remaining parts.

"In this exam, the top twenty or those with exclusive skills will receive investment and support from the Pope’s Palace.

The Pope’s Palace will provide venue, materials, and loans for them to set up their own workshops, but upon profit, venue pricing and loans are exchanged for shares.

Of course, you can choose to buy out the shares from the Pope’s Palace; I won’t stop you."

"Finally, the exam is in a week, registration ends three days before the exam; if you want to participate, please hurry to register."