WAGE RATES AND EARNINGS IN THE USSR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05659394
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 13, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-00127
• Publication Date: August 25, 1952

Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C0565939J
CLASSIFICATION T/SECURITY MGM
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT .age Rates an: Iarnings in the USSR
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED BY SOURCE
Up to 1947
DATE CF INFGEK,TION 1947
LISTLt ([LOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
::�.:;���... '''' .
,... ,no..
'' . '''
..
:: ........ :
''''' .o.
'''''' ' :
.t.
''''''' ''
......
:::':::',:::: ''' :.3
....o.. �,.. �...�
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
;a, 4444 ......
4,1100 (I
Val � 4 0044
4 ; 4400 ...... O.
SOURCE
1, Nominal wages and earnings in defense industry have boen hi.gher than that in
civilian industry. In approximately 1938-1939, so-called "Spetsotdel" was
organized at "NM" i e1a joint designing-technological division issuing drawings
for the 17unufacture of special (military) items produced by the plant- Personnel
was drawn primarily from different divisions of the Projecting-Designing Depart-
ment of the plant. All designers transferred to this division at once received a
considerable wage increase. The difference between their earnings and the earnings
of all other designers of the plant was considerable, since ttey received large
ipremiums and put in uite a bit of compulsory overtime work. I have heard that
the earnings and wages of people working in aviation industry, were considerably
higher than those of people workinq in civilian industry.
2. When we lived in Elektrostal, we were told that earnings and wages of workers and
employees or plant #12 ware considerably higher than those of workers and
employees of "NKRZ1. Their food und clothing supply was considerably better
both in quality and quantity, than that at other plants and this circumstance wad
more important than money during those years (19)42-1945).
3. C'rnversations 45.th different people at different Limes have given us a clear
general picture of wages paid for labor in defense industry. People working
there have been paid considerably better. Besides that. people working in
defense industry have had privileges such as: better chances of obtaining permits
for entrance into rest homes and sanatoriums; better kindergartens, homes for
infants, and dining rooms; better housing, etc � The higher the position held by
a person, the higher the difference between wages and earnings has been., Salaries
were also dependent upon the significance which the given branch oi industry had
from the viewpoint of the government. Earnings of the veil-known av3ation
designer Yakovlev, who was chic.'7 of an aviation designing division, exceeded many
times the earnings of other corresponding chiefs of divisions in defense industry,
CLASSIFICATION SOET/SMURITY INWIRMATTnw
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
�
oved for Release: 2019/07/30 C0565939
Approved for Release. 2019/07/30 C0565939,
SECRET/SECURITY INF0RMATI0N
(b)(3)
to say 7.othing of civilian industry.. iiesLies that, a personal car was assigned
to him, and he had other privileges (all of t: is is hearsay). TLe difference
between waes and earnings in defense and civilian industries was nigger during
and after acrid mar II than before, as :ar as I know.
4. People working in defense industry received a higher percentage of government
rewards, (decorations and medals, whIch brought privileges to people who got
them), than did those working in all other branches of industry. This is also true
of the distribution e yearly Stalin Premiums. These two last items can be
checked with newspapers, but the i..rcumstance that it can be partly hidden in
newspapers should be 'ept in mind.
5. In the spring of 1947, a nirl whom I '.alew defended her thesis in one of the Moscow
universities and was sent to work at a certain research-scientific organization
of defense iAustry. I talked to her at the end of July of 1947 after she had
been working there about two months. Her wages, as far as I remember, amounted
to 2200 rubles per month (she would have received about 600-700 rubles, if she had
worked at a plant of civilian industry) and a room at a hotel was at her disposal.
Food and othar necessities were supplied for people working in this organization.
According to her, graduate engineers with experience rot wages of 4000, 5000,
6000 rubles per month, and professors, under whose leadership the organization
worked, got wages of 10,000 and 15,000 rubles per month. At that time, the chief
engineer of "NK427 received about 3000 rubies per minth (I do not remember the
exact figure).
6. In the USSR, the level of aages at enterprises depends upon the size of an
enterprise and its importance from the viewpoint of the government. aages at
metallurgical enterprises are higher than at the majority of other enterprises of
civilian industry. Wages at large enterprises as a rule, are higher than at
medium and small ones. dages and earnings at "NKMZ" were considered relatively
high, due to the fact that before .iorld Jar II it was a plant-giant, and after
the war it remained a large enterprise (I have in mind "NKMZ" in hlektrostal).
As far as I remember, the following wages were paid at "NEW in Elektrostal in
19145: a chief engineer of the plant received 2500-3000 rubles per ranth; a chief
designer, 1600 rubles; beads of divisions of the Projecting-Designing Lepartment
of the plant, about 1230-1400 rubles; leading engineers-designers, 1100-1200
rubles; heads of groups of engineers-designers, 900-1000 rubles; engineers-
designers, 700-800 rubles; designer-draftsmen, 500-650 rubles; detail-draftsmen,
250-450 rubles. Perindiaally earnings .ere higher than wages. There was a
piece-rate pay system for draftsmen, designer-draftsmen, and engineer-designers,
and they, as a rule, used v.o earn somewhat more than their wages. There was a
bonus system for heads of designers grnnps, leading engineer-designers and chiefs
of divisions. As a rule, a certain 3UM nf money was reserved by the director of
the plant for rewarding employees of the plant with premiums in case of fulfill-
ment of given orders in a fixed time, i e for orders fulfillment of which in a
fixed time was considered to ba important. This sun of money was distributed
beforehand between those shops and departments of the plan:, unich had to partici-
pate in manufacturing the order. On fulfillment of the given order in the fixed
time by a certain shop or a department, the premium eeaerved for the shop or
department was first allotted by a chief of the shop or the department among
those employees who had participated in manufacturing the given order but who
were not inauded in a piece-rate pay system (i e senior employees). After this
allotment, lists of employees were given over to the chief engineer of the plant
for approval; the latter frequently made alterations in them. After approval by
the chief engineer, the premium was paid by the bookkeeping department of the
plant, sometimes. with a rather long delgy. The rewarding of chiefs of shops and
departments of the plant ws performed by the director of the plant an the basis
of certain factors. Bonus aystems were frequently changed; there was much
arbitrariness in the distribution of premium money. There were always people
wronged; there was aluays a feeling of uncertainty of receiving the premium; the
administration frequently deceived employees, either cut off the sum of the
premium, or took it all away. ameryone had a very great reed of money as the
living standard was very low and everybody, strictly speaking, was in a state of
poverty; this is why hopes for a premium, disappointments, hidden bustle with
its distribution, and expectation of receiving created a very nervous situation.
4-.
roved for Release: 2019/0773000565-939
pproved for Release: 2019/07/30 C0565939A
SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
-3-
7. "Ts K B M M" had. been organized due to the need for a new blooming mill in 4
short period of time (blooms were*needed for five metallurgical plants and for two
more plants later). Besides that, "Ts K B M M" was supposed to contain a
leading designixi,g department for metallurgical equipment. In connection with this}
especially favorable conditions were created for people working there. The chief
of "Ts r B M M", professor doctor of technical science A I Tselicov, received 5000
rubles per month because he was a doctor of technical science. Besides that, he
delivered lectures at a university and published his scientific works for which
he received additional money. I heard that his total earnings were about 12,000
-15,000 rubles per month. His deputy received 3000 rubles.So-called candidates
Of teChnical science who occupied positions as chiefs of divisions or sections,
received 3000 rubles is candidates of technical science in conformity with
Statue. Chiefs of divisions, who were not candidates of technical science,
mceived about 2000-2500 rubles; so-called chief engineers of projects received
1700-1800 rubles; Engineer-designers, 900-1300 rubles. There was a bonus system
in "TsKBMMtoo.
-end-
. .
roved for Release: 2019/07/30 C0563939