Trade Unions Lead Street-Based Container Stations, Highly Prevalent in Second- and Third-Tier Cities

In the early morning in Wuhu, as sunlight just spills over the old town's tiled roofs, a vibrant splash of Chinese red catches the eye—a red-walled, rice-roofed container house at an intersection, its window sills adorned with light gray geometric patterns, resembles a courtyard straight out of a traditional painting, yet it stands firmly beside a bus stop, becoming a "new landmark" that passersby frequently stop to admire. This is a microcosm of the 2025 upgrade of trade union service stations in second- and third-tier cities in Anhui. From former convenience stations to multifunctional spaces brimming with Chinese style, red remains the most striking background color, embodying the trade union's original intention to serve the people.

Looking back a few years, the Anhui national trade union system had invested a total of 262 million yuan to build 12,870 trade union service stations, with an expected 15,000 by the end of 2025. Many of these stations in Anhui have already taken root on the streets, providing shelter for sanitation workers, deliverymen, and outdoor laborers. Today, in 2025, second- and third-tier cities in Anhui Province, such as Wuhu, Bengbu, and Fuyang, have propelled the construction of service stations into a new "specialized" stage. Led by the trade unions of state-owned enterprises and public institutions, container houses are being transformed into practical and aesthetically pleasing spaces for the public. The main color scheme of red and beige echoes the red genes of the national and party flags, while the beige softens the visual impact. Combined with simplified eaves and openwork Chinese-style window patterns, the industrial-style containers are imbued with a strong Chinese flavor.

These container houses are not just for show; their placement and purpose are entirely the result of thorough research conducted by the trade unions through extensive street-level surveys. Next to a building materials market in Bengbu, container houses serve as "convenience stations": a temperature-controlled rest area is just outside the door, and cabinets against the wall hold first-aid kits, umbrellas, and power strips. Sanitation worker Mr. Li comes here every morning for a cup of hot water. "Before, I could only rest under the shade of trees, but now with these red houses, it's not cold in winter or hot in summer, and it warms my heart too," he says. At the entrance of a community in Fuyang, container houses have transformed into "mini-kiosks," selling not snacks and toys, but vegetables grown by local farmers and poverty alleviation products connected by the trade union. Prices are 10% lower than in supermarkets, allowing residents to conveniently pick up fresh groceries on their way home from get off work. Near an industrial park in Bozhou, container houses have become "service venues." Trade union volunteers come weekly to help workers check social security and apply for residence permits. The bulletin boards on the walls display "Skills Training Registration" and "Legal Aid Guide," becoming the "last mile" for policy implementation.

Even more heartwarming is that each container house has a "dual identity"—it's both a "service station" providing practical services to the people and a "propaganda station" spreading positive energy. At the stations near the park, display boards showcasing "Stories of Model Workers" adorn the walls, vividly recounting the struggles and achievements of local craftsmen. Outside the container houses in Huainan, electronic screens scroll through "Classic Red Excerpts," attracting elderly passersby who stop with their children to watch. Occasionally, one can encounter "Red Propaganda" organized by the trade union, where volunteers recount revolutionary history in local dialects, eliciting nods of agreement from the residents. These details transform red from merely the color of buildings into a vital link for spiritual transmission.

Most of the organizations that spearheaded the creation of these container stations are the trade unions of state-owned enterprises and public institutions in Anhui. A union volunteer said, "At first, we wondered how to make the rest stop both practical and easily recognizable. Then we realized that Chinese red best represents the people's hearts and warmth, so we decided on a red and off-white style, incorporating Chinese elements to blend seamlessly with the city's streetscape." From site selection to design, the union repeatedly communicated with urban management and the community; environmentally friendly materials were prioritized during construction, and solar panels were installed on the roof to meet daily electricity needs; during operation, union volunteers and community workers took turns on duty, regularly collecting residents' needs—someone asked for a microwave to heat food, and the rest stop added it within a week; someone complained that the lettering on the bulletin board was too small, and the union immediately contacted the manufacturer to remake it. Now, walking through second- and third-tier cities in Anhui, the red container houses on the streets are no longer isolated "little houses," but rather "heartwarming spots" integrated into the lives of citizens.

In Suzhou, deliverymen leave unclaimed packages at the rest stop; in Anqing, students borrow books after school; in Huangshan, when tourists can't find the attractions, the rest stop volunteers hand-draw route maps. That splash of Chinese red, reflected in the streets and alleys, and on the smiling faces of ordinary people—it's not only the symbolic color of the trade union service stations, but also the "foundation" of this city's commitment to serving its people, embodying the most genuine and touching warmth of people's livelihood in the development of second- and third-tier cities in Anhui.