The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR) may raise the issue of the resignation of the deputy leader of the United Russia faction in the State Duma, Andrei Isaev, who is also the first deputy chairman of the FNPR, Mikhail Shmakov, interlocutors in the federation and the party told Vedomosti.

Due to the adoption by the State Duma in the first reading of a bill on raising the retirement age, a big conflict is flaring up between trade unions and the party in power, notes a person in the FNPR, another United Russia member agrees with him. Only United Russia members voted for the project, and Isaev is one of the party’s main speakers on this issue: he regularly speaks at plenary sessions and communicates with the Ministry of Labor.

Two FNPR interlocutors say that the issue of Isaev’s resignation will likely be raised in the fall. The FNPR opposes this particular law and its consideration, because the document is crude and there is no justification for it, explains one of the interlocutors: “And Andrei Konstantinovich [Isaev] is a party man, his party obliged him to vote this way. That’s why he votes according to the party line.” According to him, numerous proposals are coming from trade union members to consider the issue of Isaev: “This is an elective position. He may lose it if members of the FNPR General Council vote for such a decision.” While it is not known exactly when this issue will be considered, the floor is up to the chairman of the FNPR, the interlocutor adds: “There are a lot of people dissatisfied with Isaev’s position, because you can’t be both here and there. Either suspend your party membership and express your civic position. But he is a deputy and acts as circumstances dictate to him.”

The fact that in regional trade union organizations there are many dissatisfied with Isaev’s vote is also said by the second interlocutor in the FNPR. Shmakov declined to comment.

Isaev himself told Vedomosti that he was not going anywhere from the FNPR, and recalled that on June 26 the executive committee of the federation made an official decision on this issue: “Find in my statements at least one thesis that contradicts this decision.”

The decision of the executive committee states that the bill on raising the retirement age does not take into account all the risks for workers and pensioners and is not consistent with the May presidential decree, “which sets the task of eradicating poverty and improving the well-being of pensioners.” The Executive Committee also approved the position of the trade union side in the tripartite commission on the need for a “package” consideration of the problems associated with this bill, including an increase in wages, ratification without exception of the 102nd Convention of the International Labor Organization on minimum standards of social security, a revision of the methodology for determining the living wage, an increase the quality of medical services and the adoption of a number of other measures for the sustainability and development of the pension system.

At the end of May, Shmakov sent a letter to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, where he spoke out against the reform, and later called on trade union leaders to hold public protests. Several interlocutors close to the presidential administration told Vedomosti that the participation of trade unions loyal to the government in these protests is necessary for the Kremlin, since it will let off steam, push aside the non-systemic opposition and show that the government is ready to make concessions.

The FNPR finds itself in a difficult position, says political scientist Nikolai Mironov: “It seems to be against the reform, and one of its key functionaries is openly in favor.” Nevertheless, Isaev is an influential person and it is likely that he will be able to resolve the conflict, the expert believes. The FNPR is a loyal organization and rarely seriously goes against the initiatives of the authorities, he reminds: “But it needs to save face in the current situation and therefore has to maneuver. As a result, the rhetoric is negative, but the FNPR acts quite softly: there are no protests, and there is also a lot of activity.” Trade unions in general, for the most part, lost the initiative in the story of the pension reform, giving it to the parties, Mironov adds: perhaps with such conflicts, the trade unions are bargaining for the right to more actively oppose the reform.

United Russia member Andrey Isaev may lose his high trade union post