Chapter 2606

While eating, Director Su chatted with a middle-aged worker in his forties sitting next to him: "Master, what is your name? What is your trade?"

This middle-aged worker was named Zhu Changgen. He was an honest and simple worker who had little experience in contacting leaders. Now, hearing this young Director Su talking to him, he stammered a bit: "Director Su, I, I am named Zhu Changgen, and I am a fitter."

Su Xinghui said, "Oh, so it's Master Zhu. You've been working in the factory for quite a few years, right?"

Seeing Su Xinghui was very amiable, Zhu Changgen slowly became less nervous and said, "I entered the factory as an apprentice at eighteen, and it's been over twenty years now."

A young worker said, "Master Zhu is an eighth-level worker in the factory."

A look of respect appeared on Su Xinghui's face: "Eighth-level worker? That's truly amazing!"

At that time, for a factory, an eighth-level worker was the worker with the best technology, a person standing at the top of the pyramid, and an eighth-level fitter was particularly rare; a factory might not even have one.

When Su Xinghui was a child, he had seen an eighth-level fitter at the Jun Machinery Factory. That fitter was amazing; he didn't need other tools to match keys. He would just take one look at the key to be matched, take a file, and file a key on a key blank that was exactly the same as the key to be matched.

And for things like precision bearings, in the absence of CNC machine tools at the time, the final grinding work could only be left to such senior fitters. Only they could grind parts with the required precision using manual machine tools.

And many high-end equipment that required very high installation precision also needed these senior fitters to install. Without them, it would be difficult to install these pieces of equipment according to the required precision.

Su Xinghui hadn't expected that he would be able to ask about an eighth-level fitter just by asking casually. He couldn't help but feel awe.

Zhu Changgen sighed and said, "There's nothing amazing about it. Now that the factory is like this, we have nothing to do."

Su Xinghui said, "The factory has no orders now, right?"

Zhu Changgen was just about to answer when a worker next to him pulled him. He looked up and saw Xiao Minggui staring at him fixedly from another table.

Zhu Changgen stopped talking and lowered his head to eat.

The young worker had no such concerns. He asked, "Director Su, which department are you from?"

Su Xinghui said, "My name is Su Xinghui, and I am the Deputy Director of the Policy Research Office of the State Planning Commission. This time, I am leading a research team to Shanghai to conduct research on the reform of state-owned enterprises in Shanghai."

Hearing that Su Xinghui was from the State Planning Commission, the workers at the table all let out exclamations. The young worker said, "From the State Planning Commission? That's a big cadre. Then you must reflect the problems of our factory to the higher-ups well."

Su Xinghui nodded with a smile and said, "Alright, if you have any problems, tell me!"

The young worker was just about to speak when Zhu Changgen said, "Little Li, don't talk nonsense."

Li Jun, however, said indifferently, "Master Zhu, what are you afraid of? I know, you are afraid of being laid off. What's so amazing about being laid off? I wish I could be laid off. I'll go do business, and I'll earn much more money than I do now. What are you afraid of, Master Zhu? You are an eighth-level fitter. Those private factories will invite you with eight palanquins, right?"

Zhu Changgen sighed again, but he didn't stop the young worker from talking anymore.

Li Jun said, "Director Su, let me tell you, our factory now only pays fifty percent of the wages, there are no bonuses, and let's not even talk about benefits. Help us out. Now, what is this little bit of money enough for? It's not even enough for a meal, let alone talking about a partner. You say, is it reasonable to do it like this?"

"The factory leaders let us tighten our belts and get through the difficulties with the factory, but what about themselves? Don't they still eat and drink well? They eat fragrant and spicy food every day and suck up to the city leaders tightly. I've been in the factory for a few years, and you are the only leader I haven't seen eating in the small restaurant. I haven't seen anyone else. Just for this point, I admire you!"

Saying this, Li Jun put down his chopsticks and gave Su Xinghui a thumbs up. The other workers at the table also showed looks of respect.

Su Xinghui waved his hand and said, "This is nothing. We should have eaten a working meal here originally. You continue."

Li Jun said, "Our factory's small restaurant is famous. The chefs hired are either special-grade or first-grade. Many leaders like to eat there. Didn't a group of Japanese come last night? They all ate in our factory's small restaurant. Those little Japanese all went out drunk."

Xiao Minggui couldn't listen anymore at the table next to him. He said sternly, "Li Jun, don't talk nonsense there. What do you mean by little Japanese? They are a Japanese inspection delegation that came to the factory to talk about cooperation. They are guests. They will come to see the situation of the factory this afternoon. Don't talk nonsense when the time comes. If you scare the guests away, I'll hold you accountable!"

Li Jun said contemptuously, "How will you hold me accountable? At most, it's just being laid off. This trick of yours can scare others, but can it scare me?"

Xiao Minggui was so angry at Li Jun that he couldn't speak. Zhu Changgen quickly said to Li Jun, "Little Li, don't anger Factory Director Xiao. It's not easy for him to manage such a big factory."

Li Jun snorted and continued, "Director Su, everyone says we should cooperate with those foreigners, but I don't believe they can sincerely cooperate with us. Will they teach us their own advanced technology? They just want to use our production capacity to make money for them!"

Su Xinghui hadn't expected this young worker to have such insight. Yes, how many of these foreigners sincerely cooperate with Chinese enterprises? Most of them are for profit, and they won't easily give real cutting-edge technology to the Chinese.

Su Xinghui asked, "Is this your own idea?"

Li Jun said with some embarrassment, "This isn't my idea; it's my uncle's idea. He is an engineer in the factory. He always says that technical research must rely on ourselves. Always thinking about cooperating with others and letting others give it to us is unreliable, and there certainly can't be any sincere cooperators."

Su Xinghui said, "What is your uncle's name? Is he eating in the cafeteria now?"

Li Jun glanced at the cafeteria. Now many people in the cafeteria had already finished eating and left. He shook his head and said, "I don't see him. He might have left after eating. He eats fast and always says that eating is a waste of time. He wants to seize the time to engage in technology."

Su Xinghui said, "How about this: I'll tell you my mobile phone number, and you give it to your uncle. Let him call me when he has time."

Su Xinghui took out paper and pen, wrote down his mobile phone number, and handed it to Li Jun. Li Jun looked at it and put the note into his pocket, saying, "Alright, I'll tell him." ===== CHAPTER 2608 =====