Nanjing, Oct. 14 -- Hundreds of workers at a chemical plant in China's Jiangsu Province demanded compensation after finding themselves locked out of the facility, with police arriving at the scene amid growing tensions, according to a report by The Epoch Times (TET).

Xuzhou Fengcheng Salt Chemical Co., based in Feng County, informed employees on October 9 that production would not resume, leaving an estimated 800 to 900 workers facing transfers or severance payments, TET reported.

A worker identified only by his surname, Gao, told the publication that employees discovered their factory access cards had been deactivated when they returned after a week-long break for China's National Day holiday. He said tensions escalated on October 8 as...