Recruiting in China

ABOUT 70 former employees of a restaurant in Hongkou District went to the district Labor and Social Security Bureau yesterday afternoon seeking help to recover 175,000 yuan (US$21,875) they paid in deposits after the business suddenly closed four days ago.

Following a three-hour meeting, workers were told it would be difficult to get the money back and a bureau official suggested they should file a lawsuit, according to the employees.

Wu Tao, the restaurant's general manager, was nowhere to be found. His attorney Chen Daidi refused to talk to reporters yesterday.

On top of the deposits owed to workers, the Wuhusihai Restaurant, which was located on the fourth floor of a supermarket on Yixian Road, allegedly owes more than one million yuan to suppliers.

"I received an order call at 9pm on Saturday demanding we deliver livestock the next morning. I came, and found the restaurant was closed," said a livestock dealer surnamed Ding.

Restaurant staff were more astonished to find the business was closed when they went to work on Sunday morning.