Half a century with a friendly team

The head of the administrative and economic department of SMU-8 Vasily Mashninov celebrated his 50th work anniversary with his family. The Metrostroevets correspondent talked with Vasily Mikhailovich and learned how to work for half a century in one company.

— It’s simple: you have to love your job and the people who surround you! — Vasily Mikhailovich shared. “We all work for one goal: to make the lives of millions of citizens better. Metro builders carried this motto through many decades.

But Vasily Mashninov’s career could have turned out completely differently. After graduating from school, he entered the Agricultural Institute, served in the army, in the ranks of the Airborne Forces, went in for sports, and then came to the ZIL automobile plant.

But everything changed overnight when I received a Komsomol ticket to the Moscow Metrostroy. At that time, SMU-8 was headed by Hero of Socialist Labor Yuri Rachmaninov. He immediately liked the young metro builder Mashninov. Active, smart and sporty.

“And already on October 4, 1972, he started work,” Vasily Mashninov goes back 50 years. — The head of the section where I was hired as a fourth-grade miner was Vladimir Usenko. I joined his brigade, they worked on creating a transfer hub in the area of ​​the Ploshchad Revolyutsii station.

Vasily Mikhailovich recalls the history of its creation: although this station was part of the first stage of the city subway, in 1934 they decided not to build a transfer hub under Red Square. Instead, it was moved to Theater Square. They returned to the plans later, deciding in the 1970s to create an additional passage from the end of the station hall of Ploshchad Revolyutsii to Teatralnaya. It was opened in 1974. Young Mashninov worked at this site for two years.

After this construction, Vasily Mashninov began working in the Komsomol youth organization. He was its secretary for 11 full years, and after that he was appointed chairman of the trade union committee.

“All these years I never even thought about parting with SMU-8,” he admits. — And when later he became deputy head for everyday life and personnel, having worked in this position for 18 years, and deputy director for security, and now - head of administrative and maintenance department.

Vasily Mikhailovich considers himself lucky: in half a century he has replaced only three leaders. According to him, there are long-lived workers in SMU-8. He is among them.

“Although this is rare,” he said a little sadly.

But what was not uncommon at work was cohesion and mutual assistance in the team. The management of SMU-8 was in close contact with the workers. We learned about their hopes and aspirations and helped with supplies. The launches of new stations became holidays. Vasily Mashninov especially remembered the opening of Tsvetnoy Boulevard. This station was commissioned on December 31, 1988 as part of the Chekhovskaya - Savelovskaya section, after its commissioning there were 138 stations in the Moscow Metro.

— At station launches, there has always been a tradition of setting up underground buffets and distribution areas. They tried to provide comfort for the working class, despite the fact that almost all the stations built by SMU-8 were deep, recalls Vasily Mashninov. — On Tsvetnoy Boulevard they organized a canteen on the platform. During the day they set up a mini-buffet with main courses and sausage for 1.3 rubles.

And even in the difficult 1990s, the SMU-8 team, in which Mashninov worked, lived amicably. The warmth in the team and the ability to work hard were especially cherished.

— Yes, and now we are keeping the bar! — Vasily Mikhailovich perks up. — Thanks to the director, engineering and technical staff, foremen and workers, warm relations within are maintained. We never divide into ours and strangers. We introduce everyone to the history of SMU-8 by showing archival photographs in our museum. Young people have a lot to strive for. And we contribute to this by offering stability and confidence in the future!