Born in Moscow into a working-class family. After the death of his father at the front in 1941 he, along with his six brothers and sisters, remained in the care of his mother. After graduating from the Autome-chanical Technical College he started working as a moulder at the Moscow automobile factory in 1956. While working he studied at the All-Union Correspondence Engineering Institute. Joined the CPSU in 1966.
On the initiative of the first secretary of the Moscow City Party Committee, B.N. Yeltsin, he was transferred from his post as director-general of the LA. Likhachev Moscow automobile factory (the ZIL production association) and elected chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee. "Speed up the development of the capital"—that was the slogan under which the Executive Committee of the Moscow Soviet acted during the first years of perestroika. In coordination with the Moscow City Party Committee draft Guidelines for the Economic and Social Development of Moscow for the Period from 1986 to 1999 were drawn up and approved. At the sessions of the Moscow Soviet and the sittings of its Executive Committee the most urgent city matters were being discussed. The erection of the Victory Memorial at Poklonnaya Gora and other important projects were launched. More perfect forms of city management were being looked for and different parties and movements started functioning. The leadership of the Moscow Soviet and its services were considerably renovated thanks to the younger and more qualified personnel members who joined their ranks.
At the same time the positive changes were being accompanied by growing problems with regard to the provision of Moscow with food and the functioning of transport, and many of the programmes which had been announced were halted.
In December 1989 Valeri Saikin took a great share of the blame for the situation on himself, saying: "The first three years of work in the Moscow Soviet I was very optimistic... We carried out the plans for housebuilding and recreational facilities two times faster than targeted. And I dreamed that in five to ten years, but not later, we would lead Moscow to a higher, more modern level and on this foundation improve the lives of all Muscovites. But certain events took place. Laws and regulations on cooperation, wholesale trade, enterprises and work teams were adopted. Over nine months of this year, 40,000 construction workers have left the building organisations of the city. The economy is falling and the budget deficit growing. In Moscow that part of the population who do not work has increased, while the working section has narrowed. We were sidetracked by distributing functions and not the creation of material welfare... Serious complications are waiting for us ahead."
In April 1990 Saikin began working as deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Russian Federation. In June 1991 he stood for Moscow mayor, coming second after Gavriil Popov. He returned as deputy director-general to the ZIL production association (now known as AMO-ZIL). Was elected member of the CPSU Central Committee.
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