Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 379 The factory remains, but the people are rehired! This is the engine factory of our Datang Group!

83, April 1.

Shanghai Aircraft Factory.

"Hello, teachers and students of Northwestern Polytechnical University! On behalf of Changzheng Machinery Factory, I welcome you!" Zhang Longgen stood below the tarmac, facing the people getting off the plane, and was about to give a warm speech.

"Are you Director Zhang? Come on, take us to the factory immediately. We'll conduct worker skills tests in half an hour."

what?
The people who came to welcome them were dumbfounded. According to their plan, after picking up everyone, they would first go to the factory guesthouse to arrange accommodation, and then have a meal at the most luxurious Huating Hotel. After eating and drinking their fill, they would then go to enjoy the beautiful night view of Shanghai, Nanjing East Road, the Bund... It was guaranteed to dazzle these country bumpkins from the inland. They would be very satisfied with the hospitality of Changzheng Machinery Factory. Once the relationship was good, it would be much easier to make requests later.

Surprisingly, these people started working as soon as they got off the plane.

How does this work?
"Professor Liu, everyone has just gotten off the plane, you must be tired and hungry..."

"I'm not tired. The plane is for resting and relaxing. As for food... we ate on the plane. Hurry up and lead the way! Where's the car?"

The people from Changzheng Machinery Factory were stunned. Were all the students from Northwestern Polytechnical University machines? Did they only know how to work and not how to enjoy life?

Fortunately, someone was quick-witted and made a phone call. The Changzheng Machinery Factory was thrown into chaos. Those who were drinking tea and reading newspapers in the office quickly changed into their work clothes and went into the workshop. Some who were not at the factory also quickly rode bicycles or took buses to the factory.

Fortunately, it's only an hour's drive from the Shanghai Aircraft Factory to the Changzheng Machinery Factory. When the visitors from Northwestern Polytechnical University arrived, the scene was already well-organized.

"As instructed by Comrade Qin Liang, we have restructured the factory. The higher-ups are very supportive of our work and have transferred some of the veteran cadres. Now, the proportion of front-line workers remaining in our factory has reached 95%, but... the number is still a bit too large, about three thousand people..."

"Specific figures?" Professor Liu asked, frowning.

The school couldn't find many management talents. Everyone was willing to do technical work, but when they heard that they had to manage a factory, they all shrank back. When Professor Liu went to Principal Luo to approve the procedures for third-year students to go on internships, Principal Luo conscripted him and forced him to agree to temporarily manage the factory.

The first thing you have to do when you get here is find out how many people are in the factory, right?
“Three thousand nine hundred and eighty-five people… that’s a lot, but… they’re all family, and we can’t bear to let any of them go,” Zhang Longgen said. “Besides, our factory is cooperating with Luo Luo Company, and we’ll see great development in the future. These people might not even be enough. It would be too much trouble to recruit more people later. Don’t worry, the craftsmen in our factory are all top-notch!”

Professor Liu frowned even more: "Okay, let's go inside the workshop first."

"Students, keep up!" Jiang Yan also found an opportunity to show off, and warmly greeted the young students: "When you come to our factory, you can get in touch with the front-line workers and see how they actually do their production work. This will be good for your future development. After you graduate, you might be assigned to our Changzheng Machinery Factory."

Niu Guoqiang, who was in charge of the technology, also came up and began to introduce himself to everyone.

"Our Changzheng Machinery Plant was originally an expansion of the No. 1 Automobile Attachment Plant. We were mainly responsible for the manufacturing of high-pressure casing, combustion chamber outer casing, high-pressure stator, flame tube, high and low pressure compressor rotors, turbine rotor, diffuser casing, bearing housing, venting mechanism, and other components, as well as engine assembly and testing..."

Professor Liu's expression remained serious: "Where are the leaves?"

For an engine, the most important component is the blade. This aircraft engine factory doesn't even produce blades?
"The blades are manufactured by the aviation machinery factory in Shanghai. There are 27 types of blades in total, all produced by their factory. In addition to these, the Shanghai Pioneer Motor Factory is responsible for producing starter motors, the Shanghai fuel injector and fuel pump factory is responsible for producing fuel injectors and fuel pumps, and the Shanghai Automotive Gear Factory is responsible for producing the gears needed for the engine... Of course, our production workload is still the largest, accounting for more than 70% of the total workload..."

"According to production needs, our factory is divided into five workshops: machining, stamping and welding, machine repair, heat treatment and surface treatment, and final assembly and testing. The machining workshop is right in front of us. The entire workshop covers an area of ​​8043 square meters and is equipped with 167 domestic and imported machine tools. Engine rotors, stators, and small and medium-sized parts are all produced here..."

At this moment, inside the workshop, a middle-aged man in his forties was frantically trying to learn from the mistakes of the machine tool.

"Director Wang, don't be nervous. As long as you remember the operating sequence, you won't go wrong. The part you need to process is very simple; you only need to make a few dozen cuts..."

"Okay, I got it! Old Li, tell me, how do I fix my hands so they don't shake?"

Director Wang, the director of the welfare department of the General Affairs Section of Changzheng Machinery Factory, mainly works on figuring out what kind of welfare to give to the workers. He works at most one week a year, and spends the rest of the time reading newspapers and drinking tea.

Seeing that 95% of the requirements could not be met, the welfare department was laid off. Those who did not want to leave had no choice but to go to the factory workshop.

When have these hands ever done heavy work? At this moment, Director Wang was extremely nervous.

Just then, footsteps could be heard outside.

Snapped!
The vernier caliper in my hand fell to the ground.

"Teachers and students, this machine tool is the Hammer machine tool that we imported from Germany back then to improve production quality..." Niu Guoqiang said, while gesturing for others to make way. "Old Wang, hurry up and move along. What are you doing crouching down like that?"

“Hammer Company, manufactured in 1938, currently has a five-axis vertical machining center as its most advanced product.” Liu Yongquan began, “Even if we can’t import five-axis machine tools, we should at least have three-axis ones. Why did we import ordinary manual machine tools?”

“My friend, back then our international conditions were poor, and we couldn’t import CNC machine tools at all. However, even with manual machine tools, we could still produce machines with higher precision than CNC machine tools. After all, we have top-notch master craftsmen. Old Li, why don’t you demonstrate your skills to these guests!”

Master Li, the head of the lathe group, is the most skilled master craftsman! At this moment, upon hearing Niu Guoqiang's words, he was about to touch the machine when Professor Liu interrupted him.

"Wait a minute, I think it was this experienced craftsman who was cutting just now, let him take over!"

Old Wang shuddered, and the vernier caliper in his hand almost fell to the ground again.

"Ahem, alright, Lao Wang, come on, let's work on the turbine rotor!"

The rotor is simply a disc that feeds directly into the cutting tool once the machine is running!

Old Wang nodded, took a deep breath, and then slowly began to crank the handle, one turn, two turns, three turns...

"Get out of the way!" Liu Yongquan was the first to react, shouting loudly as he pulled his classmate aside.

Bang!
The next moment, the sound of the cutting tool snapping rang out, and it flew out along the tangent of the workpiece, hitting a pillar on the opposite side.

Snapped!
The blade embedded itself in the reinforced concrete pillar, with only the crack at the end visible. If that had hit someone on the head...

I don't even want to think about the consequences!

Old Li was dumbfounded. He had taught Director Wang how to operate the machine and how many turns to advance the tool, but he hadn't told him to go slowly. He hadn't mentioned that one sentence, and that's when things went wrong. He had rolled the entire cutting tool in at once, and even the best cutting tool would be ruined!

Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Old Wang was so frightened that his face turned pale and his whole body was trembling.

"A novice?" Professor Liu's face darkened.

"No, no, I'm not a beginner, I'm just... just nervous."

"Okay, then let's stop cutting. Here, use calipers to measure the dimensions of this workpiece."

"Okay, okay." Old Wang said, taking it, holding the vernier caliper, aiming it at the workpiece, and then he was stumped. How... how do I measure this?
No, I have to learn even if I don't know how! He gritted his teeth, imitated the workers, opened the oil dipstick, aligned it with the workpiece, and locked it in place. It wasn't that difficult.

"Ten centimeters."

Old Li quickly shook his head, his mouth wide open in an "O" shape.

"Ten... centimeters?"

"What's the graduation size of your vernier caliper?"

"Graduation? Eighteen centimeters..."

They're clueless in both practical operation and theoretical knowledge; they have absolutely no idea how to do this!

"Director Zhang, is this the most professional master craftsman in your factory?"

"Ahem, Professor Liu, this Mr. Wang... he's just too nervous today..."

"Even under pressure, you wouldn't be unable to read a vernier caliper. If you don't even know a 50-degree interval, don't know the precision, and don't know how to measure the inner and outer diameters, you must have been working in an office before."

“Yes, I work in an office, but I’ve also contributed to the factory! Everyone in the factory needs me! I have to stay here!” Old Wang was desperate, ready to throw caution to the wind! “Professor Liu, Comrade Old Wang is a retired cadre…”

"Director Zhang, Comrade Qin Liang has already told you that Northwestern Polytechnical University does not support idlers. No matter how much we have contributed to the factory before, now anyone who is just loafing around has to leave!"

"I'm not leaving! You think you can just kick me out?"

Old Wang went all out.

"If you're not leaving, then we'll leave! Classmates, let's go!"

"Hey, stop!"

"Hmph, let's go! You have no respect for the old comrades at all! Qin the Skinflint! Capitalist! Are you here to profit from human suffering?"

The Shanghai Aircraft Factory, a guesthouse.

"Professor Liu, please don't worry, let me go over and try to persuade them again..." Old Ma was in a difficult position, caught between the two sides, it was hard for him to do anything!
Knock knock knock! Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it? Leader Wang? What brings you here..."

Leader Wang walked in, his expression complex: "Dear teachers and students from Northwestern Polytechnical University, on behalf of the municipal government, I apologize to you."

"Leader Wang, please, you haven't done anything wrong."

“I bear leadership responsibility,” said Leader Wang. “I know that Changzheng Machinery Factory did not rectify the situation as Comrade Qin Liang requested, but… the time was so short, the task so heavy, and besides, no factory in Shanghai has ever done this before, so…”

“Leader Wang, time waits for no one! After the New Year, we will officially begin our cooperation with Rolls-Royce. We don’t have that much time to wait for some people’s mindset to change, or for them to realize how ruthless market competition is. Since they can’t do it, then we will build our own factory. We request the Shanghai government to grant us a piece of land so we can build our own factory!”

Leader Wang's heart skipped a beat; there was no room for maneuver!
"We hope to get the land approved before the Spring Festival. We will start construction on the third day of the Lunar New Year. A month later, the first factory building will be built. At the same time, the CNC equipment produced by Northwestern Polytechnical University will be moved in. Within six months, we will produce the first batch of prototypes."

After speaking, Professor Liu paused for a moment: "Of course, the Shanghai government can also deliberately delay. After all, some people will create obstacles for us. If that happens, we will persuade the British to choose other cities. We believe the British will agree."

Leader Wang's expression grew even more grim: "Professor Liu, of course our government will give its full support, but... the Changzheng Machinery Factory's factory buildings are already in place, could you... perhaps reconsider?"

"Consider it? It's worth considering." Professor Liu nodded. "The factory will remain, but everyone else can leave!"

Hmph, what backward forces, all sorts of obstacles? Do you think Northwestern Polytechnical University will patiently play games with you within the system? We'll just come up here and flip the table!

What other tricks are you planning to pull?
Everyone, get out! We only want the factory!
"This……"

"Anyway, with the WS-8 project shut down, Changzheng Machinery Factory has been in a state of shutdown. Such enterprises should have gone bankrupt long ago, and the employees should have found other ways to make a living! Over the years, how many enterprises have been living off government funding? These people are just sucking blood from our government! The government doesn't dare to shut down enterprises, so let Northwestern Polytechnical University take the blame!"

"But there are so many people..."

"After we take over the factory, we will hold a public recruitment. Those who are truly capable will continue to work here, and their salaries and benefits will definitely be higher than before. Those who are not capable and still want to freeload in the factory... Northwestern Polytechnical University does not support idlers!"

Professor Liu waved his hand and said, "Director Wang, this is Northwestern Polytechnical University's request. We hope the government will seriously consider it. We will stay here for three days, and after that, we will go to other cities..."

"Ok."

Upon returning, Leader Wang immediately convened a meeting of government personnel, where many of them slammed their fists on the table and began cursing.

Northwestern Polytechnical University has gone too far!
That Qin Liang is a complete scoundrel!

Northwestern Polytechnical University.

A sneeze!

Qin Liang sneezed.

"Brother Liangzi, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Qin Liang smiled and looked at his wife, "Duoduo, it's almost Chinese New Year again. This year, let's go back..."

“Of course we’re going back to our hometown in Bashang. It’s our turn to go back to Bashang. Our dad hasn’t been back for two years. Even though he doesn’t say it, I know he’s homesick.”

"Ah."

"I've already made arrangements. Once we arrive in the capital by plane, they will arrange a helicopter to take us back, which will save us time."

"You've made the contact? Was it the Air Force that initiated the contact?"

Yang Duo'er smiled and said, "Nothing can be hidden from you. In Shanghai, many people are calling you Qin the Skinflint. Did you orchestrate Professor Liu's request?"

"Well, before he left, he was unsure about his leadership role, so I gave him some advice," Qin Liang said. "These days are good; even if we don't want someone, the Shanghai government will still make arrangements for them."

In 1986, the Shenyang Explosion-proof Equipment Factory was poorly managed, with liabilities exceeding two-thirds of the company's total assets. After a year of restructuring, it was still unable to turn a profit and declared bankruptcy.
This reform was hailed as a groundbreaking first breakthrough!
In the past, everyone envied being a factory worker. Once you entered a factory, everything from birth to death was taken care of by the factory! Children could go to school, starting from kindergarten, through the factory's primary and secondary schools... and even later, they could work in the factory.

If you get sick, there's a hospital for employees; if you get old, the factory will pay you a pension... It's practically paradise!
Everyone liked this system, including Qin Liang. However… he knew that such a system could not truly enable the country to develop, especially after the 1980s, when these systems had become a burden on the nation.

In a factory, less than half of the total workforce is engaged in production and operations! There are few workers and many people who need to eat, so the deficit can only be covered by the government. If this is the case nationwide, then who will cover the government's deficit?

Either factories that don't strive for progress go bankrupt, or countries go bankrupt. Yes, countries can go bankrupt too! The Soviet Union is a prime example. The United States only has the dollar hegemony, constantly printing money and reaping the wealth of the world. Otherwise, the American company would have gone bankrupt long ago.

It's already 83, and state-owned enterprises have reached a point where reform is necessary!

Whoever reforms first will benefit, since the country has to take care of them!
Even if the non-working staff at the Shanghai Changzheng Machinery Factory are laid off, the government still has to solve their employment problems. Qin Liang doesn't care how the government arranges things. In short, the brand-new aero-engine factory must be a modern enterprise!
With this benchmark, we can set an example. Now that we're being criticized, we'll become a model that will spread throughout Shanghai and the entire country!

A nation's strength is not determined by one or two advanced weapons, but by highly developed economy and abundant social wealth. How does one achieve wealth? By working, of course!
Moreover, even if you do lose your job, it's not necessarily a bad thing. In this day and age, wealth is everywhere! As long as you're willing to work hard, you're sure to make money!

Changzheng Machinery Factory.

"We won't leave! We built this factory; we are the owners!"

"That's right, Northwestern Polytechnical University is going too far. They're trying to get something for nothing!"

At the factory gate, a large crowd had gathered. Old Wang stood at the front of the crowd, looking excited. Beside him, Jiang Yan was also encouraging everyone. After all, everyone was laid off and then re-evaluated before being allowed to return to their jobs; only those with real skills could go back.

The propaganda department? She had already inquired and found that the Northwestern Polytechnical University's school-run factory did not have such a department. It was said that Qin Liang had said this: as long as the money is enough, no ideological work needs to be done!

Just as everyone was preparing to defend their rights, a convoy of military-green Liberation trucks came along the road in the distance. After stopping, a large group of heavily armed men got out and... set up a cordon!

"Hey, what are you doing?" Old Wang was furious.

"This factory will produce military equipment in the future! Therefore, it is now a key defense project factory! Crossing the cordon is strictly prohibited, otherwise you will be suspected of being a spy!"

Wow!

"Comrades, don't worry, the government won't abandon you. Go and take the assessment first. If you're not selected, the government will arrange other jobs for you..." Leader Wang also came over and patiently explained.

The capable people all got jobs in the factory, producing the most advanced engines from abroad—their future was absolutely bright! The incapable, seeing they couldn't get a piece of the action, could only grit their teeth and accept reality, going elsewhere to continue drinking tea and reading newspapers! What's the point of going here! They'd still be busy every day! Thinking of this, they felt a little sorry for those who eagerly went in; what were they so happy about, you bunch of beasts of burden!
Leader Wang then looked at Zhang Longgen: "Old Zhang, you haven't done a good job leading this factory. We'll be assigning you a new position..."

Zhang Longgen looked at the factory with a complicated expression, then nodded in the end: "Okay."

With a combination of soft and hard tactics, the Shanghai-based aero-engine plant under the Datang Group has finally gotten back on track!

(End of this chapter)