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World? Work? May!
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In the "Feast of Spring and Labor" we tell that it has changed in labor protests in modern Russia. We figured out the statistics of labor protests, talked with the expert and found out how the platform economy affects the position of the worker: c.
How is it in Russia on May 1?
In modern Russia, the "Feast of Spring and Labor" appeared in 1992 after the collapse of the USSR - before that it was called "the day of the international solidarity of workers." From this moment on May 1, it is an official weekend with the maintenance of the work fee.
In Russia, solemn processions are regularly held on May 1. So, in 2018, about three million people throughout Russia took part in them. Providing structures, such as the Communist Party of the Communist Party of the Communist Party, are also involved in the organization of processions.
At the same time, the number of people going to festive marches has recently begun to fall. The cause of the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, as well as more close monitoring of the organization of marches by the authorities. So, in 2024, in Moscow, the authorities demanded in advance to register their columns before the procession - as a result, about five thousand people gathered for the action.
Are there labor protests in Russia?
In 2024, 169 labor conflicts were registered in Russia, according to the “Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia” (FNPR). 166 of them, according to the organization, were settled - successfully only in 43 percent of cases.
It is important to note that the FNPR is actively cooperating with the government, collecting assistance to the Russian military in the war with Ukraine and opening their cells in the occupied territories. The FNPR is the actual heiress of the system of state trade unions of the USSR. And since 1993, it has been controlled by the authorities and is part of the state apparatus, paying less attention to the worker: Tsam.
The independent organization “strike” also gives its data. Researcher: Nitsa work with open sources for data collection, so that statistics can probably take into account all cases of protests. In 2024, they recorded 880 labor shares. Only in 44 percent of cases, the requirements were cooperated: C was fully satisfied. In almost 39 percent of cases, the result of labor protest is unknown.
In 2025, the “strike” recorded 203 cases of labor protest-most often due to delays in salaries or unfair wages.
How did the dynamics of labor protests change?
Over the past four years, workers: TSI most often record appeals to the authorities, and sometimes directly to Vladimir Putin. The share of appeals continues to grow: if in 2021 they amounted to 51.3%, then already in 2024 - more than 80% of the total number of labor protests.
In the first five months of 2025 alone, the “strike” recorded 161 appeals in connection with violation of labor rights. In fact, this is 80% of the number of all recorded labor protests. In other forms, strikes, negotiations with bosses or mass dismissals were.
In general, the number of appeals is growing steadily after 2021, as well as the total number of labor protests. So, if in 2021 580 labor protests were recorded, then already in 2024 the number of protests reached 880. At the same time, a decline was noticeable among more traditional forms of protest.
The expert on trade union activities in Russia, who talked with DOXA on anonymity, said that the process of increasing the number of appeals is associated with a decrease in the number of traditional forms of labor protest. In the current conditions, according to him, more direct forms of action can lead to repression, and appeals remain the only possible pressure resource to the employer: NIC.
Who protests?
The bulk of the protest movement is the budget employees: TSE - cooperation: TS of the sphere of healthcare, education and culture. This, according to the "strike", is about 33% of the total number of protesters.
For the teacher: Nitsov and the doctor: the spheres of housing and communal services (housing and communal services), as well as construction, go in other. The most common cause of protests from the beginning of 2024 to May 2025 was salaries and unjust wages.
Cooperation: TS of budgetary organizations often serve as a support for the authorities - they are forcibly driven to the polls and sent to the front for the war in Ukraine, so such statistics can pose a threat to the regime.
Invasion of Ukraine and labor protests
The beginning of a full -scale invasion of Ukraine had a significant impact on protests. Over March 2022, only 11 different protests were recorded, and the number of stop promotions-that is, a complete or partial stop of work-decreased by 40% compared to 2021. The Russian researcher of labor protests, Pyotr Bizyukov, believes that the reason was a shock from the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
At the same time, as the end of 2022 and now the protest dynamics returned to the growth trend, despite the pressure from the authorities and the strengthening of repression. But forms of protest become less radical.
Bizyukov connects this with pressure on the work: C and repressive legislation, which limits protests. Mobilization has become another factor in the pressure on the work: C, which oppose unfair working conditions. There are cases when the authorities mobilized workers who tried to defend their rights.
How did the war change labor protests?
An anonymous expert believes that from the point of view of collective protection, war and the followed “twisting of the nuts” complicated the protection of labor rights. He indicates that the leader: they often try to hold labor protests accountable, more often administrative. In addition, the employment itself: TSY less often resort to stop-events, as they are afraid of possible repression.
The war did not globally create new methods of pressure on the worker: C, but rather strengthened the old forms of pressure. “ What was almost unthinkable five more about five years ago [The detention of trade union activists: to and so on] has now become ordinary practice ,” the expert says.
At the same time, he also clarifies that in the percentage of the number of cases in the courts that led to disciplinary sanctions with the employer: the NIC has increased, which is explained by the effective work of the “new trade unions” that are not related to the state. Most of these cases are associated with individual cases of violations of the rights of the employment: C, while in the collective plan the situation is difficult.
Platformation and labor in Russia
The active development of delivery and marketplaces greatly influenced the position of the worker: C in Russia. Researcher Roman Abramov writes that during the war, “ not“ TV ”has a“ lushing ”impact on the population <...>, and working points of delivery of the most popular marketplaces located within walking distance .”
Already in 2024, the contribution of digital platforms to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Russia was from two to five percent - they act in almost every segment of the economy and compete with traditional enterprises.
In addition, large platforms, such as Wildberries, Ozon or Yandex, are actively cooperating with the state. This can be seen in the example of Wildberries, which the former spouses Vladislav Bakalchuk and Tatyana Kim tried to share among themselves, enlisting the support of functionaries in the authorities.
“ Platformation of individual markets is that we will observe a step by step throughout the economy ,” said Maksoshkin, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Russia, the Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadaev is sure that the platformation will become the main trend in the Russian market until 2030.
In a commentary for DOXA, an expert on trade union activities said that the introduction of platform capitalism entails the “ completely uncontrolled operation ” of the employment: c. Due to the fact that this sphere is relatively new, there is no single legal regulation of conflicts between cooperation: tsami and large corporations, which also causes protests.
He believes that the protection of the rights of platform workers: C is a “call for trade unions”. Number of cooperation: CC Wildberries, Yandex and Ozon continues to increase, so the requirement of clearly executed rules and contracts will be able to correct their situation.
New waves of protests against platforms
Worker: TSA marketplaces, courier: ki and taxi driver: KI become more vulnerable, because the employment process itself is more easily arranged than in more traditional spheres. Worker: TSIs are often deprived of labor guarantees and other social benefits, as they work under civil law contracts (GPH). GPH does not imply paid leave, pension deductions and medical insurance.
When the employment is: it turns out to organize a protest-for example, due to a decrease in the cost of payment for the order-the authorities begin to repress the participation: c. Thus, the authorities pursued the head of the Courier trade union Kirill Ukraitsev for organizing strikes by the office of Delivery Club.
Large strikes were also carried out by cooperation: TSY Yandex.Deys , Sbermarket and other companies that promote platform employment among their cooperation: c. Protests against platformation intensified after the outbreak of war and include a stop action.
The role of Wildberries in the operation of the worker: C
Wildberries is the largest marketplace in Russia, which opens thousands of points for issuing orders (issues of issuing orders, PVZ) throughout the country. Nevertheless, the rights of the employment: C are violated, and they receive low wages.
So, at the end of April 2025, collaborated: the Russian Post has announced that they refused to work in the Wildberries PVZ mode. In fact, Wildberries uses the employment: C. other companies to serve their orders, paying them only five rubles per order for them, the number of which can reach seventy per day.
At the same time, the fines that Wildberries can write out can be up to several thousand rubles, which puts the collaboration: C in a vulnerable position, since the refusal to fulfill the demand for Wildberries can lead to dismissal.
“ ... The leadership reported that I would have to either work with Wildberries, or quit. I quit , ”one of the collaborates describes this practice: the“ Russian Post ”.
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Vitya ErshovPublication
May 1, 2025