Putin Heads Down to Tver to Announce New Era For Russian Train Industry
The minimum wage in Russia will equal the living wage as early as May 2018, 6 months ahead of schedule, has said today Vladimir Putin to the Tver Carriage Works staff. The president was shown a train of the future and modern trams, produced by the enterprise which was almost shut down eight years ago. Putin then came to the enterprise, and today he estimated the executed work.
Alexander Baletsky is reporting.
It's almost like a sewing studio, but huge rolls of steel are instead of cloth. They are cut. At least 5 modern carriages are produced daily. Under a new standard of quality and comfort, there's even the Internet.
An operant: "There's free Wi-Fi in a regular car with reserved seats".
Tver Carriage Works is the largest not only in Russia and has a rich history. This year it turns 120. It's developing new fields. The President of Russia is shown modern trams. He's even offered to try a tram-driver's seat. There are hundreds of such trams in Moscow.
A mechanician: "It can be launched right now!"
But, of course, the company's field is railways. Double-deck carriages are entirely Tver's development. Double-deck carriages are no surprise to anyone. They are already in service at eight Russian railways.
And here is a new subject of pride of the Tver car-builders, the electric trains Ivolga. They have already received the Golden Sign of Quality of the 21st century and ply from Kievsky railway terminal, Moscow, to Novoperedelkino. This is an ideal solution for commuting. There's a lot of space and a microclimate: a special heat curtain saves you from cold. Now Ivolga goes at a speed of up to 160 kilometers per hour to reach 250 kmph in future.
President Putin: "Great, super. This is a world-class level, of course".
Putin discusses plans with the staff. He has something to compare with.
President Putin: “Much has changed here since I visited the works in 2009 during my previous trip. True, you had a difficult period starting with late 2014 and during 2015 and 2016. But we have seen growth across the board starting last year – production and salaries and, as I understand, the number of workers.
Probably, 2016 was the most difficult year. Your enterprise ended the year with a loss of almost 200 million rubles. Meanwhile, last year net profit already exceeded half a billion. This is a very good figure and the current pace is also very good".
In 2009, in the midst of the global crisis, there were half as many orders as previously, the plant nearly went under the slope. The government prevented it from going off the rails. By Putin's order, a three-billion-dollar contract with Russian Railways and direct infusion of money were not just a light at the end of the tunnel, but saved them from being fired. And today new employees are being recruited.
Grigory Monankov, Production Director at Tver Carriage Works:
- To date, production is growing, and for this year we have a crazy plan to produce about 1500…
- Cars?
- Yes, cars, bodies.
There are orders from Egypt, Iran. Putin says export will be stimulated.
President Putin: "We have just discussed with your main shareholder opportunities to export rolling stock abroad – both trams and carriages. If there are such contracts, we will be ready to issue loans to your purchasers abroad".
The workload is so big that some of the workshops work here even at night.
Vitaliy Lebedev, deputy chief of the cold press shop: "Some equipment works on Saturday and Sunday in three shifts".
The salary is much higher than the average for the region.
The president is asked what those who live on a minimum wage should do. Will the minimum wage, which is about 9,500 now, equal the living wage?
President Putin: "I just met with the Finance Minister yesterday. the positive trend in the Russian economy remains. Our budget deficit is below expectations; our gold and currency reserves are growing. This means the Russian economy is on the upswing, and the trend is continuing. We can balance the minimum wage and the living wage as of May 1 this year. We will do that. It will impact approximately 4 million people. And it is crucial that it is always adjusted, of course. And from that day on, the minimum wage should not drop below the living wage".
There were questions about training new staff members. Putin says they must engage programs to support young workers more actively. They ask personal questions too. Olga is an electric welder, and her daughter is a graduate.
Olga Pylaeva, electric welder: "I would like our children to study for free in the future".
President Putin: "As for free education, it will certainly be preserved".
The President is asked about the bridge over the Volga too. People have dreamed of it for a long time. Putin says design documentation will be ready this February. It's the decision of the Government commission.
President Putin: "I will tell you privately what the commission is saying about this, but we will work with the commission".
It's Putin's first working trip and meeting with the staff this year. People ask about the elections too.
Andrei Solovei, Tver Carriage Works CEO: "Can you consider me a trusted person in the Tver Region? I am ready to be helpful to you here".
President Putin: "Will your colleagues support you? This is a surprise to me".
- Of course!
President Putin: "Thank you very much. I appreciate it".
A traditional commemorative picture. It will certainly hang near the one taken in 2009. Since then, transport engineering has become a real locomotive of the economy.
Alexander Baletsky, Philip Dubrovsky, Semen Shrapchenko, and Alexandra Terpugova for Vesti from Tver