EXPERIENCE OF A MINE OPERATING ON A FIVE-DAY WORKWEEK

V. G. Lukyanov

(Presented by the scientific seminar of the Department of Labor Protection and Mining)

In the report of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Comrade A. N. Kosygin, “Directives of the XXIII Congress of the CPSU on the Five-Year Plan for the Development of the National Economy of the USSR for 1966–1970,” it is stated: “A major socioeconomic measure in the new five-year plan will be the transfer of workers and employees to a five-day workweek (five working days and two days off), while preserving the currently established total duration of weekly working time.”

The workforce of the Em. Yaroslavsky Mine of the Leninugol trust—a modern, highly mechanized enterprise—seeking the further improvement of production, was among the first in Kuzbass to switch to a five-day workweek, as early as 1964. This article summarizes the results of the mine’s operation under the shortened workweek and demonstrates the advisability of extending such a regime as soon as possible to all coal and ore-mining enterprises where the weekly output of coal or ore over five working days is presently possible under the conditions of hoisting, ventilation, transport, and other factors. The Em. Yaroslavsky Mine works gently dipping thin and medium-thickness seams. In terms of methane gas emission, the mine is assigned to the first category. All coal seams are hazardous with respect to coal dust explosions, and the Nadzhurinskaya and Zhurinskaya seams are also liable to spontaneous combustion. In terms of coal strength, all the seams being worked belong to the second category, and by coal grade—to grade “D.” The dip angle of the seams is 3–5° in the gently dipping section and 35–70° in the steeply dipping section.

Ventilation of the mine workings is carried out by means of a main ventilation installation of the ODV-2.8 type and several auxiliary ventilation installations.

The capacity of the main ventilation installation is 5000 m³/min; the total capacity of the ventilation installations is 7000–8000 m³/min.

To divide the extracted coal into classes, the mine has a sorting plant with manual removal of rock. The production capacity of the sorting plant is 4000 tons per day.

The Em. Yaroslavsky Mine was put into operation in 1958 with a design capacity of 4000 tons per day, or 1200 thousand tons per year. The mine reached its design capacity in 1963, extracting 1230 thousand tons of coal that year.

Until June 1, 1964, the mine operated on a three-shift schedule. The duration of shifts in underground work was 6 hours, and on the surface 7 hours; the common day off was Sunday.

Beginning June 1, 1964, as an experiment, the mine was transferred to a five-day workweek with two days off. The number of working hours per week remained the same: for underground workers, 36 hours; for surface workers and salaried employees, 41 hours. A three-shift schedule was established for the mine with shift durations as follows: for underground workers, four days of 7 hours and the fifth day (Monday) 8 hours; on the surface, respectively 8 and 9 hours.

Under both the six-day and the five-day week, the shift changeover for brigades working in stoping and development work, as well as for workers in underground haulage and other auxiliary sections, was carried out directly at the workplaces, without a break in time. Consequently, under the six-day week there remained 6 hours of free time per day, and under the five-day week 3 hours. On Mondays, coal-mining and mine-development operations are conducted around the clock. In a continuous week on a staggered schedule work the workers of water drainage, pump and fan operators in stoping and development sections, shaft-station attendants, and gas-measurement workers. The mine’s sorting plant operates on a shortened week in 3 shifts of 8 hours, and on Monday 9 hours, with days off on Saturday and Sunday. The workers loading coal into railway cars, the lamp room, boiler house, administrative and service complex, and the skip-hoist enginemen all work 3 shifts on a staggered schedule of 8 hours. After the mine was transferred to the five-day workweek, the production conditions did not change.

Speaking of the quality of the stoping front, it must be noted that during the period of work on the five-day workweek some stoping faces found themselves in even more difficult mining-and-geological conditions. A major influence on the deterioration of the stoping front was exerted by the extraction of the more productive Dalny and Poddalny seams, with seam thicknesses of 4 and 1.6 m respectively, and their replacement by the Geolkomovsky and Gorely seams, with seam thicknesses of 1.2 and 1.3 m.

Despite the partial deterioration of the stoping front, the mine did not have to increase the number of stoping faces, and the entire increase in coal output was achieved by increasing the load on the face. If in 1963 an average of 11.7 faces operated at the mine, with an average monthly productivity of 7,200 tons, and in the first 5 months of 1964 an average of 11.9 stoping faces operated, with a productivity of 8,270 tons, then in the last 7 months of 1964 (after the transfer) an average of 11.3 stoping faces operated; in 1965, 10.9 faces; and in the first 6 months of 1966, 10.4 stoping faces, with productivity respectively of 9,340 tons, 9,689 tons, and 10,550 tons.

Thus, the average monthly productivity of a stoping face, compared with 1963, increased in 1964 after the transfer by 2,140 tons, in 1965 by 2,489 tons, and in 1966 by 3,350 tons.

With the reduction in the number of stoping faces, the average operating stoping line also decreased. If in 1963 it amounted to 1,296 m, and in the first 5 months of 1964 to 1,213 m, then after the transition to the shortened workweek it was 1,059 m in 1964, 1,179 linear meters in 1965, and 1,052 m in 1966. Consequently, the increase in the monthly productivity of a face was promoted not by an increase in the stoping line, but only by an increase in advance. Suffice it to say that the average monthly advance of the stoping line in 1966, compared with 1963, increased by 11.1 m, or by 32.7%.

The average monthly output of the mine before and after the transfer was as follows: 1963—102.5 thousand tons; for 5 months of 1964—116.2 thousand tons; for 7 months after

before the mine was transferred to the shortened workweek, 122.8 thousand tons; in 1965, 124.5 thousand tons; and in the first 6 months of 1966, 124.7 thousand tons.

The average daily coal output for the mine after the transfer was as follows: in 1963—3963 tons; in 5 months of 1964—4576 tons; in 7 months of 1964—5562 tons; in 1965—5725 tons; and in 6 months of 1966—5784 tons.

Thus, daily coal output in 1966 increased, compared with 1963, by 1821 tons, or by 46%; and, when recalculated for a six-day workweek, by 959 tons, or by 24.2%.

The increase in coal output occurred not because of an increase in the number of workers, but because of the growth of labor productivity. The number of workers engaged in coal mining remained at the previous level. The average monthly labor productivity of a coal-mining worker increased in 1966 (6 months), compared with 1963, by 9.2 tons, or 20.3%.

In 1963 labor productivity was 45.2 tons; in 5 months of 1964, 51.7 tons; in 7 months of 1964, 54 tons; in 1965, 54.3 tons; and in 1966 (6 months), 54.4 tons.

Along with the growth of labor productivity, workers’ wages also increased. If in 1963 they amounted to 160 rubles, then in 1965 they already amounted to 178 rubles, and in 6 months of 1966, to 171 rubles per month.

Together with the growth of labor productivity and the growth of output after the transition to a five-day workweek, the cost of the coal mined decreased. If in 1963 the commercial cost of 1 ton was 8 rubles 15 kopecks, and in 5 months of 1964 it was 7 rubles 82 kopecks, then in 7 months of 1964 the cost of 1 ton was 7 rubles 41 kopecks; in 1965, 7 rubles 72 kopecks; and in 6 months of 1966, 7 rubles 52 kopecks. Thus, the cost of 1 ton in 1966, compared with 1963, decreased by 63 kopecks, or the total saving compared with 1963 over 6 months amounted to about 470 thousand rubles. A major influence on the growth of coal output and the improvement of all technical and economic indicators was exerted by the introduction of OMKT coal complexes, the introduction in development faces of face-area and special metal supports, and the introduction of K-52M narrow-web combines. The introduction of OMKT complexes and metal supports enabled the mine to reduce the consumption of timber materials from 56.3 m³ per 1000 tons in 1963 to 32.4 m³ in 1966.

With a shortened workweek and two consecutive days off, workers have the opportunity to restore their strength more effectively and then to work in a more organized and productive manner throughout the week.

This is confirmed by the fact that the Em. Yaroslavsky mine, like other mines, under the six-day workweek worked considerably worse before the day off and after it (Saturday and Monday) than on the other days. Under the shortened workweek this is not observed. The mine operates evenly on all days of the week.

With two days off per week and a shift duration of 7 hours, losses of time connected with the beginning and completion of work are significantly reduced.

The unproductive loss of time (workers’ arrival at the workplace, inspection of mine workings and mechanisms, their testing, and the elimination of discovered deficiencies) amounts to 20–30 minutes, and sometimes as much as a whole hour.

Somewhat less time was lost at the completion of work as well. If total time losses with a productive shift length of 6 hours amounted to 23%, i.e., 83 minutes, then with a seven-hour shift they remain the same and amount not to 23%, but only to 19.8%. Consequently, under a shortened workweek the relative expenditures of unproductive

time associated with the start and end of work. In the first half of 1966, losses of working time at working faces were substantially reduced and amounted to 12.5% for the mine; this made it possible to raise the productivity of a working face by an average of 8%. With the shortened workweek, each underground worker saves approximately 3 hours per week through coming to work and leaving work.

With two consecutive days off, the quality of scheduled preventive repair and inspection of machinery and mine workings improved, which made it possible to reduce substantially the accident rate of machinery and mine workings and to reduce losses of coal output. If, before the transition to a five-day workweek, the average monthly losses of coal output due to accidents involving mine workings and machinery were 7,210 tons and for other reasons 5,328 tons, then when the mine operated on the shortened workweek they amounted to: from accidents involving mine workings and machinery, 5,554 tons, and for other reasons, 1,717 tons.

The total loss of output upon transition to the shortened workweek was reduced by 5,267 tons per month.

With a six-day workweek, one day is sometimes insufficient for the replacement or major repair of machinery, which not infrequently leads to a disruption of coal output. With two days off, this shortcoming is eliminated.

As can be seen, the transition of the mine to a shortened workweek with days off on Saturday and Sunday did not cause difficulties in the operation of the enterprise. On the contrary, it contributed significantly to an increase in coal output, higher labor productivity among the workers, and improvement of other technical-and-economic indicators.

Convincing evidence is provided by the results achieved by through complex brigades working in longwalls with OMKT complexes. Working in approximately identical geological and production conditions, the brigades of the Em. Yaroslavsky Mine achieved significantly better results than the brigades of other mines of the “Leninugol” trust of the “Kuzbassugol” combine.

Average monthly output by mine brigades

At other mines of the “Kuzbassugol” combine, the average monthly productivity of OMKT working-face complexes is approximately the same as for the “Leninugol” trust.

The transfer of the Em. Yaroslavsky Mine to a shortened workweek also contributed to an increase in the productivity of Donbass wide-cutting combines when mining longwalls in thin seams. If the average monthly productivity of Donbass combines in longwalls in the Geolkomovsky and Goryely seams in 1963 was 5,620 tons, then in 1964 it equaled 6,340 tons, in 1965—7,320 tons, and in 1966—7,440 tons. Thus, when the mine operated on a shortened workweek, constantly

coal production increased and all technical-and-economic indicators improved.

When transferring the mine to a shortened workweek, special attention must be paid to the organization of labor in the driving of preparatory mine workings.

In stoping faces where coal is extracted by wide-cut combines or complexes, when crews work according to a through daily schedule, the labor productivity of the workers and the productivity of the face as a whole depend on the number of working hours in a shift or a day.

When preparatory workings are driven with the aid of BVR, the drivage workers have become accustomed to a certain cycle of work. For example, working a six-day workweek with a shift duration of 6 hours, a drivage crew of 9 people completed 3 cycles daily, with the face advancing 6 linear meters.

With a five-day workweek, this crew must drive not 6 linear meters, but 7.2 linear meters, with face advance of 2.4 linear meters for each cycle, or increase the number of cycles per day from 3 to 3.6. Therefore, when transferring a mine to a shortened workweek, it is necessary to examine in detail each preparatory face and each drivage crew.

Despite certain difficulties at the beginning of work on the shortened workweek, the rates of driving mine workings at the mine also increased and amounted to 83 linear meters in 1963, 88.5 linear meters in 1964, and about 100 linear meters in 1965–1966.

The main advantage of the shortened workweek for workers should be considered the fact that, with two adjacent days off, it becomes possible to use these days off more effectively for rest and then to work more productively and in a more organized manner during the week. Under the shortened week, workers have greater opportunities to raise their cultural and educational level, devote more attention to family and study, regularly attend the cinema and theaters, and engage in sports.

After the mine collective was transferred to the shortened workweek, the number of young people studying increased significantly. Whereas in 1963, among the working youth at the mine, only 52 people were studying in the entire educational network, at present 171 people are studying, including in correspondence institutes: formerly 5 people, at present 22 people; in evening technical schools: formerly 9, now 29 people; in ShRM: formerly 36, now 118 people. The academic performance of those studying is now significantly higher than before.

With the improvement in workers’ labor and rest under the shortened workweek, the number of violations of labor and production discipline has been significantly reduced.

In 1963, 277 people at the mine failed to report for work, with a loss of 732 man-shifts; in 1965, respectively, 183 people and 376 man-shifts; and in 6 months of this year, 77 people and 130 man-shifts.

Industrial injuries and morbidity at the mine have also decreased. In 1963, with smaller volumes of work and fewer workers at the mine, there were 156 cases of industrial injury and 2,366 cases of illness; respectively, in 1964, 142 cases of industrial injury and 2,303 cases of illness; in 1965, 122 cases of industrial injury and 2,407 cases of illness; and in 6 months of 1966, 64 cases of industrial injury and 1,066 cases of illness.

What conclusions can be drawn from the experience of the work of the Em. Yaro-

...Yaroslavsky on a shortened workweek? The mining-geological and production conditions at the mine, compared with other mines of the “Leninugol” trust, are more difficult, as was stated above. But, working under the new system, the mine’s workforce achieved greater production successes and holds one of the leading places in the system of the trust and of the “Kuzbassugol” combine.

During this time, large teams grew up at the mine, demonstrating examples of highly productive labor. At the mine, an All-Union record and twice an all-Kuzbass record were set for the productivity of the OMKT clearing complex.

For high production achievements, in 1966, by the Soviet government, 16 people from among the workers of the workforce of the Em. Yaroslavsky Mine were awarded orders and medals, and the foreman of the integrated brigade, Comrade Izmestiev, was awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor.

One of the main great production victories of the mine’s workforce was the shortened workweek.