A document

TRADE UNION OF WORKERS OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES CHAIRMAN OF THE TRADE UNION

119334 Moscow , st . Bardina 6/30, building , office 14-16, tel./fax . , : (499)1352064, tel 2 1353016. E - mail : profras@prof.ras.ru
July 7, 2014 No. 99

Deputy Chairman
Government of the Russian Federation
ABOUT . YU . Golodets

Dear Olga Yurievna !

June 27 marks a year since the Government of the Russian Federation introduced to the State Duma the bill “On the Russian Academy of Sciences, the reorganization of state academies of sciences and amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation.” This document was prepared in secret and was not discussed with the scientific community. Its authors are still unknown. At one of the meetings of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, in response to questions from deputies, you stated that you take responsibility for the consequences of implementing the law.

In our opinion, the time has come to sum up the first results. We would like to share with you our vision of the situation.

We were promised that the burden of economic and “paper” problems would be lifted from scientists and they would be able to devote themselves entirely to science. Excessive bureaucratization really hinders the development of science, as well as all other spheres of Russian life. However, the RAS apparatus “covered” its institutes, taking responsibility for resolving many administrative issues. The federal executive body does not do this and, most likely, will not do this in the future: it transmits all requirements to the level of institutions. As a result, the flood of papers falling on the management of the research institute has at least doubled.

Currently, FANO has launched a campaign to implement the provisions of the presidential decree on bringing the average salary of scientific workers to 200% of the average salary in the corresponding region by 2018. Funds in the required amount are not allocated for this, but directors are forced to sign additional agreements to employment contracts stating that they bear personal responsibility for the implementation of this clause. It is absolutely clear that pressure on directors and thoughtless implementation of the decree can lead to massive layoffs not based on the results of an assessment of the institute’s performance or employee certification, but simply due to a lack of funds. The RAS Trade Union intends to fight against this: the decree must be provided with funds, adjusted or cancelled.

Over the past year, we all had to spend a lot of effort and time developing a new departmental regulatory framework, which is not fundamentally different from the previous one and does not provide organizations with greater opportunities for development. Thus, for two months, under time pressure, the institutions reworked their charters, coordinating them with the changed legislation. The RAS Trade Union also participated in the work on the standard charter. As a result of hard work and largely thanks to the constructive position of FANO employees, we, apparently, will be able to ensure that these documents are not much worse than the previous ones.

Now the RAS Trade Union is taking part in the development of a new, unified for the RAS, RAMS and RAAS, remuneration system. I would like to note that in this case, FANO employees act competently and try to take into account the opinions of all participants in the process. However, it is quite obvious that it is very difficult to combine three completely different systems (which existed in the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences). We will work hard for another couple of months, and then institutions will think about how to use the resulting “hybrid” document so that it does not harm the cause.

And this is called “riding science of unusual functions”? Who needs all this? Is this “reform” good for science? Does it improve its effectiveness?

The decline is observed literally in all directions. One of the main accusations against the Russian Academy of Sciences was allegations of ineffective work in implementing the Housing program. Now the housing program for 2014 is overwhelmed. Regulations on the distribution of housing certificates to young scientists have not yet been issued. Whether they will be able to receive subsidies this year is a big question. RUB 1.9 billion allocated for the construction of office housing. not distributed, construction projects frozen. People are not even receiving apartments that have already been built: the new regulatory framework has not been developed, and the old one is not in effect.

The year has been completely lost, no positive changes have occurred or are expected. A successful organization, which could have been carefully and consistently modernized, was destroyed. The RAS is deprived of the opportunity to coordinate the activities of institutes and, therefore, directly influence scientific policy. The institutes were left without competent scientific and administrative support. A new academic science management system has not been built. The FANO apparatus cannot cope with this: it does not have the necessary personnel and powers.

In our opinion, the reform for which you are personally responsible has reached a dead end.

I would like to know how you yourself evaluate the fruits of your efforts. We really hope to receive an answer from you personally, and not from certain federal authorities “within their competence.”

Chairman of Trade Union Workers' the RAS
In _ P. _ Kalinushkin

Source : www.ras.ru/news/shownews.aspx?id=390ad7fb-62ea-4a99-a083-76e6696ed4af#content