Trade unions

PROPOSAL TO FOUND INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION

By Stephen Wilson

"Our Task is to create a spontaneous trade union movement which will have

one simple goal, not a political one. We don't say love Navalny or Putin . Just

demand a higher salary ". A supporter of Navalny, stated "Our trade unions

have never functioned as actual trade unions.We are planning to figure it out

as we go along." Navalny, in a public video, then went on to quote figures

about how the Russian government had failed to live up to its promise of

the May Decree of 2012 of  doubling the wages of teachers and doctors .

According to the May decree, salaries should have been increased to at

least 59,000 rubles a month for teachers in Saint Petersburg while doctors

should have attained 118,000 rubles a month. But in actual fact, teachers

only obtain a salary ranging from 20-30,000 rubles a month, and in some

of the worst cases, a meager 18,000 rubles. This comes as no great

revelation to sober and objective observers.

What are we to make of this public declaration? Can it be taken seriously?

It seems to be more like a pious intention or wish rather than a serious plan.

But even the proposal will strike many people as too vague, as well as

inarticulate. At worst, it seems insincere. How can the proposed creation of

a huge independent Trade Union by a prominent leader of the opposition

be regarded as 'non-political'? Call it what you will, the government would

certainly regard it as political especially if it is supported by the opposition.

The statement states the main goal would be simply to raise wages. That

is not the only goal of a trade union. What about burning issues such as

unfair dismissal, overwork, poor job security, and teachers doing a 60

hour week for a pittance? What about the issue of empowering workers

by giving them a voice in the decision making process? What about the

mass closure of schools and hospitals following optimization? But how

on earth can an eventually worked out plan to establish a trade union be

viewed as 'spontaneous'? By spontaneous most people understand a

group or strike organised at a grassroots level by workers involved in a

conflict. Many of the past industrial disputes and conflicts in Russia took

place without the aid of any unions. At most Navalvy can play a positive

role in investigating the corruption behind unpaid or low paid wages  as

well as unfair dismissals.

It seems that this is an attempt to increase his popular support among

the poorer sections of the working class. Navalny is perceived by many

as being too center right and simply reflecting the interests of the middle

class and alienated business men and women. Many people claim that

Navalny has no program or at least no alluring or attractive program

which would win the poorest Russians. He is simply seen as standing

on 'a no corruption program'. From the money saved on halting corruption,

it would invested in a huge program of building schools, hospitals and

paying decent pensions. So Navalny's appeal is an attempt to appear

as ' not yet again another anti corruption politician'  such as the late Yeltsin

or the present President Putin, but something much more.

It appears that Navalny is unaware or has little idea at what is a genuine

trade union. He is not alone! Ask any Russians attending opposition

rallies whether they know anything about Independent trade Unions and

you bound to hear "We don't have independent trade unions in Russia."

This is because the ineffective, corrupt and decadent Confederation of

Trade  Union comprises 20 million members from the current 25 million

members of unions. This union not only collaborates with the government,

but is involved in murky property deals and even colludes in dismissing

workers. If you ask a worker or teacher, "Have you heard of the independent

trade Union Teacher, which was founded in 2011 and has a membership

of at least 6000, or the Union of University Teachers whose membership

hardly surpasses 1000," you will stump them. "I have never heard of those

Independent unions," is the almost standard reply.

A Russian Journalist, Andrei Polunin, stated: "We don't really have a tradition

of independent unions like in the West. The only successful exception was

when Ford workers near Saint Petersburg went on strike and won their

demands. But now under the increased centralization of the government, the

rise of independent trade unions will be impossible for now. But I think we are

going to witness big changes as I don't think Putin can last that much longer."

The Government has already been crushing the existence of Independent

Unions. Just around two years ago the Inter-regional Trade Union was

dissolved under the pretext of being 'a foreign agent where they accepted

grants from abroad'. The union, which comprised 4000 members, is

viewed by Andrei and others as one of the most successful independent

unions which won strikes at Ford. Only very few independent trade unions

have managed to emulate the success of this union. But now we can anticipate

increased repression of independent trade unions as salaries drop, inflation

soars and  unfair taxation schemes are imposed on free lance tutors, joiners,

mechanics and plumbers who are simply attempting to supplement their already

scant earnings.

In order to persuade people to join an Independent union, you have to offer them

something much more substantial than just pay rises. They require much better

benefits, protection and a reasonable amount of working hours. Creating an

independent trade union demands an enormous amount of effort, and work as

well as entailing largely unwanted risks.  It can't be set up overnight.