Translated material
In search of "Justice"
Leaders of independent trade unions approached Sergei Mironov
The A Just Russia party, following United Russia, has intensified its activities in the trade union field. Through friendly structures, associates of the leader of the Social Revolutionaries, Speaker of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov, became involved in the process of creating a consolidated trade union center on the basis of two independent organizations - the Confederation of Labor of Russia (KTR) and the All-Russian Confederation of Labor (VKT).This week, both confederations signed a cooperation agreement with the interregional trade union of small and medium-sized businesses, Spravedlivost, created by Mr. Mironov's adviser Andrei Nagibin. “Justice” makes it clear that the emerging union is intended not only to close the “blind spot” in the activities of independent trade unions that did not pay attention to small and medium-sized businesses, but also to protect the confederations from the aggressive policies of the Sotsprof trade union, which is close to United Russia, whose leaders are now actively working with grassroots structures included in the CGT.
Let us recall that the merger of VKT and KTR and the creation on their basis of a single trade union center, which is capable of uniting more than 2 million people, was announced in April 2009. The leaders of the confederation Boris Kravchenko (VKT) and Igor Kovalchuk (KTR) have repeatedly warned that the process of uniting such structures is a complex matter and that there can be no quick solutions. In addition, emphasizing their commitment to the principles of democracy, the leaders of the confederations intended to go through all procedures for coordination with the grassroots trade unions. As a result, a year after the start of the unification process, a general charter has not been signed, and the timing of the emergence of a new powerful association on the trade union horizon seems uncertain.
The leader of the St. Petersburg trade union “Sotsprof” and member of “United Russia” Sergei Vostretsov, who apparently wanted to lead the unification process, decided to take advantage of the slowness of the leaders of the confederations. A statement appeared on the Sotsprof website that the trade union leadership sees no obstacles to creating a new association on the platform of not two, but three organizations. And the leader of the organization himself began negotiations with trade unions belonging to the confederation. The VKT and KTR regarded Sotsprof’s actions as an attempt at a raider takeover, but Mr. Vostretsov made it clear that the unification would take place “no matter the weather.” “We will continue negotiations on unification with industry unions,” warned Sergei Vostretsov in a conversation with a Vremya Novostei correspondent.
That is why the alliance with the small and weak trade union “Justice”, whose leader is nevertheless close to the speaker of the Federation Council, seems to observers to be an attempt by Boris Kravchenko and Igor Kovalchuk to find a counterbalance to the apparatus influence of United Russia member Vostretsov. “The CGT and KTR are really concerned about the current situation, which they define as a raider takeover. The leaders of VKT and KTR hope that their position on what is happening, including with the help of Mr. Nagibin’s capabilities, will be conveyed to the country’s leadership,” Olga Alexandrova, spokeswoman for Justice, told Vremya Novostey. .
True, as it turned out, in the structure of the All-Russian Confederation of Labor there are quite influential forces that do not need good relations with the Socialist-Revolutionaries and who are more inclined to unite with Sotsprof. As Vremya Novostei learned, one of the founders of the VKT, chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Russia (NPGR) Alexander Sergeev can be considered such. It is possible that Mr. Sergeev’s tough position may cost the current head of the VKT, Boris Kravchenko, the post of president of the organization. “Sergeev set an ultimatum: if relations with Justice take shape, he will insist on Kravchenko’s resignation,” one of the trade union leaders told Vremya Novostei. “He is not against joining Sotsprof,” the interlocutor noted.
According to experts, the unification of VKT and KTR in the form in which it was envisaged a year ago will definitely not take place. “The system of relations and the system of solidarity within the CGT has undergone changes, and not for the better. There has been a split there,” noted Boris Kagarlitsky, director of the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements, yesterday, delivering an analytical report on the situation in the trade union environment. Mr. Kagarlitsky recalled that now, of the several full-fledged trade union centers that existed a year and a half ago, only fragments remain, “living their own separate lives.” “Perhaps the only “fragment” that remains within its borders is KTR,” he believes. At the same time, according to the expert, the long and even tragic process of unification of the two confederations was detrimental to the trade union movement, not only in a reputational sense, but also in the sense of protecting workers’ rights. “The forces were distracted by administrative work,” noted Boris Kagarlitsky.
Anna Ochkina, head of the Center for Social Analysis at the Institute of Globalization and Social Movements, believes that trade unions are losing influence because they do not notice the growing protest activity used by political parties behind internal squabbles. “But the parties only want PR from these events—the tedious and labor-intensive work of implementing the specific wishes of people attending rallies is not for them,” Ms. Ochkina believes. Therefore, in her opinion, it is the trade unions that must take up the civil initiative “from below.” “Structurally and institutionally, they are more suitable for this,” Anna Ochkina is sure.