Gyorgyike Hasko

I am 29 years old in this photo.

I graduated the chemical technical school in 1951. But it wasn't easy to find a job at that time either. At that time they still directed us, they knew it from somewhere that this and this company needed such and such a worker, and they directed us. They filled out our service certificate at school, and they wrote in mine Plastic Industry Research Institute. I went there, and they asked me why I went. I told them that that's what they wrote in my service certificate. They said 'no, thanks'. Then my father, who was acknowledged in the trade talked with someone at the Ministry of Heavy Industry, where the chemical industry belonged, and that's how I got to the Conserve, Meat, Refrigerating Industry Research Institute after graduation as a young technician, to the experimental station.

I worked on Herman Otto Street for 5 years but since they couldn't transcategorize me as a technician, I wanted to quit. In August 1956 I got to Kobanya, to the Ceramics Fire Resisting Material Factory, the quality control laboratory. This was on Sibrik Miklos Avenue, where there is a big housing establishment now. At that time that part was still full with mine lakes, there were several brick factories in the neighborhood. Opposite the factory there was a huge empty ground, and when I went to work on the Sibrik [Miklos Avenue], I went at 7 o'clock, I always looked at the sunrise. It was beautiful. In 1958 I went to work at the Metallurgical Research Institute in 1958, which belonged to a big trust with many factories. I got a job at the chemistry department as a technician, a compound analyst, and basically I spent there my entire life.

In 1976 they merged the Metallurgical Research Institute with the Aluminium Industry Designing Company. This way there were 1200 workers, and that called for an independent party secretary. The bosses recommended me, behind my back, of course. They convoked a meeting of members, and they elected me. I became a member of the co-operative of the chemical industry. At that time my income was quite small, and when they had to transfer me, our manager quickly gave me a raise, so that he wouldn't have to blush. But they had no idea about how it was going to be, how I was going to take it. They told me that the designers would never accept me. But they accepted me indeed! My scouting past, and my intellectual background helped. I think I accomplished a very successful 9 years, because they elected me without the slightest hesitation the second time, too.