Letter to the editor

The website of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences has a funny tradition of reprinting discussion materials published in our newspaper, limiting itself to only one side of the dialogue. The impression you get is strange - how to be present during a heated argument that someone is having on the phone: screams, nerves, but it’s not clear what’s going on. However, those who wish can always find out what was the matter by reading the “Trinity Option - Science.”

However, the next reprint was accompanied by a serious comment: “The newspaper “Troitsky Variant” published an article by an employee of the Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences “We don’t need such a trade union?” Chairman of the RAS Trade Union V.P. responded to Alexander Evdokimov . Kalinushkin. Unfortunately, the newspaper somewhat distorted the text of the answer. Here we present the version submitted for publication.” We learned from V.P.’s letter what the distortion accused of us was. Kalinushkin to the editor, which we present in full, preserving the author’s spelling.

I am extremely puzzled by the position of the editors of the newspaper “Troitsky Variant”, which considered it possible, without consulting me, to make changes to my material “Trade Union for Balance” (TrV, No.), which distorted the meaning of one of the statements.

In response to one of the accusations from the author of the article “We don’t need such a union?” , I noticed that “calling on the Trade Union of the Russian Academy of Sciences to insist on Russia’s ratification of Convention No. 135 of the International Labor Organization “On the protection of the rights of representatives of workers in the enterprise and the opportunities provided to them,” A. Evdokimov did not bother to find out that the State Duma had already made such a decision in July 2010 " After editing the editorial, this phrase began to look like this: “But should the RAS Trade Union be called upon to insist on the ratification of Convention No. 135 of the International Labor Organization “On the protection of the rights of workers’ representatives in the enterprise and the opportunities provided to them”?” The difference is completely obvious and distorts the meaning of the text.

I also cannot find an explanation for the fact that the editors deleted the mention of my scientific position from the caption to the article.

Please post this comment.

Victor Kalinushkin,
Chairman of the Trade Union
RAS workers, head
laboratory of the Institute of General
Physics RAS named after. A.M. Prokhorova

Unfortunately, there appears to have been some confusion between the versions of the text. In the original article sent by V. Kalinushkin, the phrase indicated by the author was not present. We present this fragment of the text before editing: “True, before calling on the Trade Union of the Russian Academy of Sciences to insist on the ratification of Convention No. 135 of the International Labor Organization “On the protection of the rights of representatives of workers in the enterprise and the opportunities provided to them,” Of course, the ratification of ILO Convention No. 135 aims us at in order to replace the repealed articles by introducing new norms into the legislation that would protect the rights of representatives of elected bodies.”

After editing, indeed, this phrase began to look the way V. Kalinushkin cites it. We apologize to the author for the fact that we misunderstood his idea and as a result of editing it turned out to be distorted.

Regarding the second point

V. Kalinushkin, we are forced to note that in the original text received by the editors, the author’s signature was indicated as follows: “Viktor Kalinushkin, Chairman of the Trade Union of Workers of the Russian Academy of Sciences.”

For the conclusion of the debate about trade unions (not regarding the editorial changes, but on the merits), see the response letter from A. Evdokimov published below.

* * *

Need the right balance

I was pleased to know that the chairman of the RAS trade union, Viktor Kalinushkin, understands the importance and relevance of my article “We don’t need such a trade union?” (TrV-Nauka, No. 98 [1]) about the state of affairs in the organization he leads, since he decided to give a detailed answer to it. True, the answer entitled “The trade union is for balance!” (see TrV-Nauka, No. 101 [2], and in full on the RAS website www.ras.ru ), which he gave to me, for some reason was not directed to me.

I learned quite by accident that such an important and flattering reaction for each author to his speech in the media took place in this case. Well, that’s okay: the main thing is that there is an understanding that it was impossible not to respond to my proposals. For this, of course, one cannot help but praise Viktor Kalinushkin. Someone else, it is possible, would have remained silent, but he not only responded, but also himself suggested “identifying problems, arguing, proposing solutions.” Well, the respected chairman of the trade union of the Russian Academy of Sciences has no doubt about this - and, as necessary, we will try to identify problems, as he asks, and argue, if necessary, we will definitely begin on fundamental issues, and we will help you find solutions, if you can’t find them any other way succeeds. Helping your own trade union with friendly advice is the direct responsibility of any RAS researcher, and I, of course, will not shy away from it.

Actually, a number of solutions in my article have already been proposed for broad constructive discussion, primarily regarding the rigid vertical structure in the organization. Not a single social structure, it seems to me, can survive without discipline, otherwise it becomes ineffective. Therefore, in the Charter of the Trade Union of the Russian Academy of Sciences, for basic manageability, it is necessary to stipulate that lower trade union organizations are subordinate to higher ones. It is necessary that the statutory provisions provide for the right to remove trade union committee leaders who fail to fulfill their duties by higher trade union bodies. In addition, rotation should be provided for managers at all levels and instances, including the Legal Labor Inspectorate of the trade union, and age restrictions should be introduced for them. A person has worked for two, for example, five-year terms or, say, reached the 70-year mark - and that’s it, a worthy replacement is needed, with a fresh look, full of new ideas.

By the way, one cannot but agree with much of what was said in response to my article by Viktor Kalinushkin, in particular about the need for legislative protection measures for members of trade union committees, but a number of provisions cause, in my opinion, some bewilderment. Well, for example, the fact that “the tangle of contradictions in the “superiors-subordinates” system is far from the most confusing” is good if so, but in general this is the very tangle that the trade union should unravel, and the rest - according to to the best of your ability. That is why I proposed to stipulate in the Charter that the trade union organization of the Academy of Sciences protects the interests of ordinary employees of the RAS. Who is included in this category? Yes, everyone who does not have the right to issue orders for dismissal, announcement of penalties, bonuses, appointment to a position, i.e. everyone except directors of institutes and those who have the right to replace them. This is normal trade union practice - protecting the rights of employees before the employer, who can, according to Art. 81 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, terminate the contract with them on their own initiative.

Then the conflict that Viktor Kalinushkin wrote about, that one of the parties may turn out to be wrong, is also removed. Indeed, it may turn out to be the case, but this should be decided not by the trade union committee, but by the participants in the labor dispute themselves, and if they cannot, then by the court or the labor inspectorate. The trade union committee must, as a conscientious lawyer, always support its ordinary workers of science, a priori the weaker side, in a dispute with the management, try to find the possibility of a peaceful, constructive solution to the controversial situation. This corresponds to both the principles of social justice and simply the very foundations of trade union activity. Wikipedia absolutely correctly states that trade union associations are created “for the purpose of representing and protecting the rights of workers in labor relations.” Not understanding this means not understanding the meaning of trade union activities, reducing it to holding cultural events and organizing summer holidays for the children of employees. Although this is very important in its own way.

In general, in order to achieve a balance of interests, which Viktor Kalinushkin quite rightly advocates for, it is necessary to make the activities of the RAS trade union practically useful for ordinary, most vulnerable employees of the RAS. If the chairman of the RAS trade union understands the role and tasks of the organization entrusted to him in this way, then we are completely like-minded and ready to defend this position with him shoulder to shoulder. In this regard, I propose, along with the newspaper “Troitsky Option-Science,” to publish, with reference to the original source, the materials of our discussion on the RAS website and in the newspaper “Scientific Community” for wide discussion in the primary trade union organizations of the RAS.

Alexander Evdokimov,
Art. scientific co-workers IMLI RAN,
Leading editor of Hard'n'Soft magazine

PS In one of the passages of his response to my article, Viktor Kalinushkin stated: “Everyone sees how “effectively” the Education Trade Union defends the interests of our university colleagues...” It seems to me that we should not go to someone else’s monastery with our own charter and evaluate the activities of another trade union Organizations - its members organize their work as they consider possible and necessary. We must interact with them and exchange experiences in finding the balance of interests so desired by Viktor Kalinushkin.

1. A. Evdokimov. We don't need such a union? — No. 98, 02.28.2012 http://trv-science.ru/2012/02/28/takojj-profsoyuz-nam-ne-nuzhen/

2. V. Kalinushkin. Trade union - for balance! — No. 101, 04/10/2012 http://trv-science .ru/2012/04/10/profsoyuz-za-balans/