Evening star., 1947-04-28
Russian Auto Factory
Boasts Of No Strikes
And Certain Market
BY Russell Bornes

Sloer nlmSeu well OH II ne could |
solve his problems as successfully as
has Ivan Likhachev. director of the |
Stain automobile works and still |
the largest producer in the Soviet
Union.
Mr.. Likhachev. a stocky Russian
in grey blouse, manager of the
iStalin plant for 81 years, member
of the Communist Party, sat In his
Office beneath portraits of Lenin.
Stain. Molotov and Kaganovich and
gave this report on his operation:
There have been no strikes In 81
years and he does not anticipate any.
Plant Has No Labor Troubles.
The plant has no labor troubles
The government fixes wages.
The plant works two 48-hour
shifts.
Approximately IS per cent of all
wages are paid on piecework basis
Labor is short but there are plenty
of raw materials.
| Sales are no problem because the
government takes the entire output
The changeover for new 5-ton
truck which is set for production
later this year will require about two
weeks. Mr.. Likhachevs chief COM
plant is that 1t takes year to 18
months to obtain tool deliveries from
the United States, and he suspects
politics may be involved.
Limousine Looks Like Packard.
The Stain plant. which was estab-
lished in Czarists days. is primarily
truck producer. Mr.. Likhachev
said it produces luxury limousine,
which greatly resembles a Packard,
at the rate of one daily. A new
passenger car model is in the works
but the director said It's design is
secret. Asked about the resemblance
between the handsome limousine
and American models, Mr.. Likha-
chev replied:
Some parts have been taken from
various cars. 1t Is not necessary to
get something new when all parts
of automobiles have been invented. |
We are only manufacturing one car
day of this class because we don't
need any more"
Asked the size of his labor force, |
Mr.. Likhachev replied it numbered
several tens of thousands" But he |
was more communicative about la
Dor conditions.
Average Pay 900 Rubles.
He said the average pay in his
plant is 300 rubles month. but 1t
is possible for a skilled worker with
bonuses to receive up to $500 rubles
It is impossible to translate those
incomes into dollars, not only be-
cause the ruble has no fixed dollar
equivalent, but also because work
er considers the quality of his hous-
ing, the amounts of his food and
consumers goods, and other such
factors as part of his remuneration.
Mr.. Likhachev, in addition to the
fact that the government fixes |
wages, attributed his lack of labor
trouble to the speed with which
grievances are handled. He said
every case is decided within 48
hours. The bulk of complaints. he
declared, concerned job quotas, or
norms as they are known in Russia.
Workers May Leave.
The Stain plant also operates %
restaurants and 40 buffets in addi-
| ton to theaters and vacation resorts
for workers. When the plant Is
closed for retooling or men other
wise are forced to lay off, they re-
ceive three-fourths of their basic
pay.
During the war men were frozen |
on their jobs, but now, with the
permission of his factory manager,
a worker is able to quit and take
another Job.
Asked about plant efficiency, Mr.
Likhachev, who has visited America
three times and seemed to be
familiar with Michigan plants, de-
clared:
"It is equivalent to American
truck plants. We turn out a vehicle
with 1872 man-hours of work"
Machine Tools are American.
A partial trip through the Stain
plant revealed 1t to be q collection
of old factory buildings plus some of
modern type. All machine tools
seen were American except for a
few of German manufacture. Ma
terials generally are moved by hand
and by truck rather than with con-
veyors.
The truck production line, which
clears from 100 to 200 trucks daily.
resembles Detroit line except for
the absence Of feeder lines. Parts