For over 225 years the artistic
folk art that made the Lomonosov Porcelain China enterprise famous all over the
world, and from which enterprise all the best museums in the world have these
extremely exquisitely made and crafted porcelain vases, china and ornaments on
display. Experts all over the world say that there is no other world class
porcelain of such high quality made anywhere.
But ten years ago, at the outset of "perestroika and privatization" instituted by the present regime, this enterprise was to be quickly sold to foreign firms. But the present regime had its way by trying to fool the workers that were working there, by offering them shares in the enterprise, they said, in order to stop it from being sold to "foreigners."
The next step was to get foreign "inspectors" to come to control all the books, output and management. Not getting the other workers' shares in order to outright own the Lomonosov porcelain china enterprise, they then turned off the electricity, with the connivance of the authorities, in this way trying to get the other workers to sell their shares.
The workers protested and
wrote letters to the Governor, to Yeltsin and other authorities and then on to
the courts. The outcry at this mechanization by the workers and general public,
plus the arts community was so vocal that the state was forced to temporarily
abandon this sell-off of this world-wide exquisite manufacturing enterprise,
where sculptors, artists and decorators have for over 220 years beautified world
renowned museums.
It seems that the Russian state is going to try to take it over now... but this is just a calm before the storm. The US firm now owns 65% of the shares. The bitter struggle is still ahead. Whatever the outcome, this defiance by Russian patriotic masters shall be copied by other enterprises.
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