ABSTRACT

Letters from the Frontline makes a small contribution to this history of the human species as a history of the labour process. The high rate of incidents in state-run building organisations are particularly contradictory, since workers rightly expect that here at least new working conditions should be upheld. One can only hope that as the building industry becomes fully nationalised next year with the launch of the first five-year plan. The journal Trud has been forced to admit that the Stakhanovite movement has remained weak in the construction industry, which has been hit by numerous incidents of what is being called 'sabotage'. High bonuses and medals await the record breakers, who are ceremonially paraded in front of ordinary mortals in full glare of spotlights and camera. Workers on building sites are increasingly being organised in hierarchical military-style brigades.