The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 232 I respond better to gentle persuasion than force!

The selection of model workers in the factory is based on working hours and the number of workpieces processed each day.

Zhao Tiandong and Wu Xiaojun are both hardworking and diligent people. They were very serious when they learned the technology. When Master Mao from Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory taught them, he didn't hold back at all.

The two learned very quickly, and now one is a level four worker and the other a level five worker. They are not the best in terms of technology at the Second Machine Tool Plant, but they are considered the backbone of production.

The average working hours are about 15 or 16 hours per day, and the production qualification rate is over 85%.

With this achievement, I am definitely qualified to be selected as a model worker in the workshop.

However, some people knew that the two of them had a good relationship with Zhou Zhiqiang, so they gossiped and belittled them, saying that if they participated, the factory director would definitely take care of them and select them as model workers.

The rewards for model workers are quite substantial; there's a chance they'll receive large items like bicycles or sewing machines.

Even if you don't get any, you can still get several kettles and basins, things that are useful in the home.

Because of the rumors circulating in the workshop at the time, Zhao Tiandong and Wu Xiaojun decided not to participate in the selection of model workers.

There are few workers in their workshop who work harder and spend more overtime than them; the two of them are among the top five in the workshop.

But I didn't want to cause trouble for Zhou Zhiqiang, otherwise if the rumors got out, it would affect Zhou Zhiqiang.

After hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang was surprised to find that there were such unhealthy practices in the factory. He had never heard of them when he was working there.

He often went to the workshop and chatted with the workers. When he returned a year later, the factory seemed to have a lot of minor problems.

Zhou Zhiqiang listened while eating. He had originally planned to hold a meeting of the factory leadership team this afternoon to discuss some matters.

But now it seems that before making any decisions, he needs to conduct a thorough investigation at the factory, at least to identify and eliminate all the 'problems' and 'hidden dangers' in the factory.

After finishing his meal, Zhou Zhiqiang called his department to request a dedicated driver and assistant, which had been promised before he joined the heavy machine tool project team. However, since Zhou Zhiqiang was about to leave, the assignment was postponed.

This delay lasted for more than a year. He didn't mind having a full-time driver, but he had to recommend Zhang Yaoguo's name to his full-time assistant.

If the ministry issues an order, he won't need to bring up personnel changes at the factory's Party Committee meeting anymore.

The ministry quickly agreed and promised to communicate clearly with the Party Committee of the Second Machine Tool Plant within the next two days.

These next couple of days, Zhou Zhiqiang plans to take a walk around the factory and get a good understanding of its situation.

a few days later.

The Second Machine Tool Plant has known all these days that Director Zhou Zhiqiang has returned.

Moreover, instead of immediately rushing to work as before, he wandered around the factory. Even when several deputy factory directors came to report to him, Zhou Zhiqiang would just leave the documents and tell them to look at them again in a few days.

For urgent matters, Zhou Zhiqiang would handle them on the spot and make a judgment; if he wasn't too busy, he would postpone them for the time being.

It's worth mentioning that the ministry also sent the awards to the home of these meritorious members of the heavy machine tool project team.

There were tons of tickets for the special-supply stores, plus subsidies and bonuses, which were roughly equivalent to two months' salary for Zhou Zhiqiang.

The department kept this very secret; they didn't even let anyone else know about the award. Besides, the heavy CNC machine tool project team was supposed to be confidential, and no one at the Second Machine Tool Plant knew what Zhou Zhiqiang was doing on his business trip.

The following week after his return, Zhou Zhiqiang received a call from Deputy Leader Wu and then instructed Zhang Yaoguo to convene a meeting of the factory's key leaders.

What a coincidence! Just then, news arrived from Deputy Leader Wu's side, and he called to inform him right after he finished investigating the factory's affairs.

He had just submitted a more detailed plan for the CNC branch factory, and less than two days later, Deputy Leader Wu replied that the deputy leader had approved it.

He also persuaded the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building.

Now, the First Ministry of Machine Building and the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building are working together to support the Second Machine Tool Plant in investing in and establishing a CNC branch plant.

Perhaps it was Zhou Zhiqiang's assurance, coupled with the promising prospects of CNC machine tools in the international market, that led to this decision.

The small country is also preparing to export a large number of CNC machine tools, and has also formulated relevant policies and subsidy systems. The domestic CNC machine tool industry has also made great progress, and it is time to catch up.

Most importantly, although the Second Machine Tool Plant requires a large investment each year, the returns are even greater.

In 1961, more than 20 million was invested, and in 1962, it generated more than 200 million in output value. After deducting costs and various expenses, the Ministry of Machine Building received a return of more than 100 million.

The autumn Canton Fair is approaching, and now we'll see how much the Second Machine Tool Plant can recoup next year.

If there are more foreign trade orders this year, then some will definitely be allocated to the First Machine Tool Plant.

After completing their training last year, the First Machine Tool Plant also built some precision workshops, but most of the CNC machine tools they produced were supplied to domestic factories.

Although the output value has increased significantly, it is certainly not as 'well-fed' as the Second Machine Tool Plant.

If the number of CNC machine tool export orders remains high this year, and the Second Machine Tool Plant cannot complete its production, it will definitely have to allocate some to the First Machine Tool Plant.

Zhou Zhiqiang would definitely keep some for his own factory. He couldn't possibly sell all the machine tools he produced; he would have to keep some to replace the old ones.

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After Zhang Yaoguo notified all the cadres, it was soon time for the meeting. Zhou Zhiqiang didn't set the time too late either, and headed to the meeting room when the time came.

He had communicated with Secretary Li beforehand about today's meeting, but the CNC branch factory mentioned by Deputy Leader Wu was an unexpected event, and Zhou Zhiqiang hadn't had a chance to communicate with them yet.

Secretary Li didn't take a stance on the other matters Zhou Zhiqiang mentioned, but he and the factory's Party Committee would definitely give their full support.

Let them rectify it. He was too lazy to care before and didn't have the energy to care, but it wasn't that he didn't want to care.

Now that Zhou Zhiqiang is willing to step forward, then Secretary Li will support those two words.

When Zhou Zhiqiang arrived at the meeting room, some cadres were already there.

He had barely sat down when Secretary Li and the other three deputy factory directors arrived.

"Director Zhou."

"Factory Manager."

After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats. Zhou Zhiqiang looked around and, finding everyone present, began to speak.

"Comrades, this unconventional cadre meeting is at my request. I also consulted with Secretary Li beforehand, and he and the factory's Party Committee support me in holding this meeting."

In fact, the decisions of Zhou Zhiqiang and Secretary Li can fully represent the factory's Party Committee. If they both agree, then everyone else has no choice but to agree as well.

"There's something very important for us, but we'll talk about it last. Let's talk about other things first, like factory rules and regulations!"

Zhou Zhiqiang began by saying, "I proposed building staff dormitories to make it easier for workers who have large families, live far away, and often have difficulty returning home after working overtime."

"Hey Section Chief Tang from the Publicity Department, does the person you assigned meet these criteria?"

Upon hearing Zhou Zhiqiang call his name, Head Tang of the Publicity Department felt a chill run down his spine. He stood up with a hint of fear and said, "Factory Director, it's me...they..."

"Forget everything else, just answer me now: are the temporary workers you arranged more suitable? And the general affairs department, give me an answer too."

The publicity department assigned three people, and the entire transport team moved in, one person per room. You answer this; if you can't, I'll reassign you.

Those whose names were called by Zhou Zhiqiang were filled with fear. Although they stood up, they couldn't utter a single word.

Zhou Zhiqiang tapped the table and said, "Speak up! When you were reserving dorm rooms, did you do the same thing, silently taking over the rooms?"

“We drive trucks every day, and we don’t even have fixed meal times. There are empty dormitory rooms in the factory, so what’s wrong with us transport team staying there for a while?”

The transport team leader, with his stubborn temper flaring up, directly confronted Zhou Zhiqiang, saying, "The workers have contributed to the factory, but haven't we truck drivers made contributions? Why can they live here, but we can't?"
Factory manager, you can't be unfair.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang chuckled and said, "Fine, you want fairness, huh? For each trip you make, you'll get a subsidy of 80 cents a day for short trips and 1.2 yuan a day for trips outside Beijing."

There are also meal and accommodation allowances. Frontline production workers don't receive proper overtime pay when they work overtime; I had to fight for even that small amount.

"If you want fairness, then change your subsidies?"

The transport team leader fell silent after hearing this.

Zhou Zhiqiang continued, "If we really ask you to change the subsidies and make things fair, you won't be happy. You want fairness, right? Would it be fair to divide the subsidies for truck drivers in half?"
"How many days can you stay in the dormitories? Those who are supposed to go home at night should go home, and you only stay in the staff dormitory to rest and play cards at noon. Captain Niu, do you think I didn't investigate?"

"Other workers walk half an hour to get home at night, and they don't get home until midnight. You guys occupy the dormitory at night and use it to play cards at noon! Where's your shame?"

Upon hearing this, Captain Niu became even more furious and said, "Fine, we don't deserve to stay here, we don't even deserve to drive the trucks, Factory Director, is that alright?"

"You really don't need to drive anymore. Go back and wait for news from now on. The factory will arrange new positions for you."

After banging on the table, Zhou Zhiqiang said, "Go back and wait for our notification. The factory won't fire you, but necessary job adjustments are possible."

You can also report this to the labor union and your superiors. Now you can leave!

Act decisively!

When the other cadres saw Zhou Zhiqiang so decisively stop the transportation team's work, their hearts skipped a beat.

The importance of the transport team to a factory is undeniable. There are eight people in total, including Captain Niu and the truck drivers who live in the dormitory. If their work were to be stopped, it can be said that the transport operations of the Second Machine Tool Factory would have to come to a standstill.

"Alright, let's see what you can do without us, Factory Manager!"

After uttering this harsh remark, Captain Niu left the meeting room.

After everyone left, Secretary Li whispered, "Director Zhou, how about we give them a small punishment as a warning?"

"No need. I'm the kind of person who responds better to gentle persuasion than force. Even if there were only eight of them left in the whole country, I still wouldn't need them!"

Zhou Zhiqiang waved his hand dismissively and said, "Even if I drive a truck myself and train apprentices, I might still need them."

Unless the ministry removes me from my position as factory director!

(End of this chapter)