MAZ employees told how they got rich together with the enterprise and why it is harmful to want everything at once

November 29, MINSK . MAZ employees, who together with the enterprise survived the most difficult years of collapse, stagnation and deprivation and continue to work in the current period of recovery, spoke in the BELTA YouTube project “In fact: decisions of the First” about their experience and explained why it is harmful to want everything at once.

Alexander Gimpel, an adjuster of cold stamping equipment at the press shop (press-body plant), will soon celebrate another anniversary of work at MAZ: “On December 7, 1977, I came, and this year it will be 46 years since I have been in one place and in one workshop.” The period after the collapse of the USSR was especially remembered for the meager wages of $35-40 in equivalent and the card system in stores, when the shelves were empty and there were limits on the purchase of products.

“It was quite difficult. I just have small children - I remember running around, looking for MILK , but couldn’t find it,” Grigory Titarev, a straightener at the cabin welding and painting shop (press-body plant), said about that period. “There were also difficulties with products, and with work. Who earned money on the side. I repaired cars for friends, did straightening."

“The nineties and 2000s were difficult years. There was collapse at the enterprise, theft. Salaries were very small, there were strikes,” Alexander Linnik, a mechanical assembly mechanic at car assembly shop No. 4 (car assembly plant), shared his memories.

All three workers noted the coming to power in Belarus of ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO and his tough policy to restore order in the country and his course towards the unconditional preservation of domestic industry as a turning point.

“When our current President came to power, he established himself well, began to fight banditry, which flourished then, and theft. I think that his great merit is that today we live normally,” Alexander Linnik expressed his point of view .

“When he headed the country, he did a great job, he didn’t let the enterprise close. Slowly the plant began to gain momentum,” said Alexander Gimpel.

Having gone through a difficult period with their native plant, many older generation workers are in no hurry to part with MAZ even after retirement. “It’s good now, and there’s more work. We even work on Saturdays and earn money. I bought myself a car and a dacha two years ago. Everything is fine with me. Everything is set up, I like it. I’ve been working for 4 years now in retirement and I’m going to work for more. Why sit at home? “We have to work,” said Grigory Titarev. Alexander Gimpel shares the same opinion.

The only regret experienced employees have is that young people are not very keen to learn blue-collar skills. “Now there are completely different machines, different equipment, a lot of electronics. There are not enough workers. For some reason, the blue-collar profession is not valued among young people. They want everything at once and a lot. But that doesn’t happen. You can only steal a lot. But here you have to work.” , - said Alexander Linnik.