Six salesgirls standing atop a 25-storey building in Zhengzhou on Monday afternoon, November 24, 2008. They threatened to jump if their employer failed to pay them their full commission and salary. [Photo: Zhengzhou Evening News]

Six salesgirls climbed to the top of a 25-storey building in Zhengzhou on Monday afternoon, threatening to jump if their employers continued to withhold money owed to them.

The girls were on top of a commercial building they were tasked with selling. The project is developed by the Henan Zhongding Industrial Corporation, local newspaper Zhengzhou Evening News reports.

Each of them was assigned to sell three apartments per month. However, despite hitting their target, the salesgirls were only paid half their due commission. The company said this was because they hadn't yet acquired the full payment for the apartments.

However, the salesgirls were having none of it. After lengthy negotiations failed, they decided to quit together and demanded the employer pay them their remaining commission in addition to their salary.

The company said salaries could only be paid in the middle of the month, and rejected their demand to be paid their salary and commission instantly after they announced to quit.

The dispute was eventually settled with the help of police mediation two hours later. In the end, the company agreed to pay them their salary in advance and their due commission.

(CRI November 26, 2008)