Russia is returning to the path of wild capitalism. You can accept the revolution of 1917, you can call it the "October Revolution", but the fact is that ordinary workers were socially protected from the arbitrariness of their superiors for the first time in the history of labour relations. And in other countries, employers were forced to accept social guarantees created in the USSR. No one can change this fact. Russians paid for these rights in full measure- blood in the fratricidal civil war, subsequent devastation, starvation and a long return to civilized life.
No matter how bad it was in the 90s, no matter how scary it was to lose your job today- these rights seemed unaltered yesterday. That is why we did not notice how the trade unions, which are humming and hawing today when they see the arbitrariness in labour relations, are weakening and turning into complete insignificance.
Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, congratulations! Today, we have almost made a big step towards increasing arbitrariness on the part of the employer. The President of the Confederation of Labour of Russia (CLR; KTR), a member of the Human Rights Council, Boris Kravchenko, calmly informs us that*:
- A legislative initiative has been introduced that reduces the notice period for redundancy from two months to two weeks, as in the case of voluntary redundancy. At the same time, the employer will not pay the salary for this period and the allowance due in the amount of a month's earnings;
- On behalf of the trade unions, Kravchenko promised to oppose it.
That's wonderful! The unions are still against it! However, they are no longer ready to protect us.
The very fact that trade unions have calmly accepted such an initiative - they have not openly and publicly opposed it, and they are absolutely passively waiting for the meeting of the Russian Trilateral Commission (RTC; RTK) on May 29 - shows that their word no longer means anything! The trade unions, from a once independent strong structure, are now an amorphous structure with incomprehensible functions. They have "raised their paws" in advance and plan to play their role beautifully in public in order to save their seats and salaries. They do not care that before the summer of 2020, we will be sentenced by the "Troika" like in the good old days: "Sentenced to capital punishment. Not subject to appeal."
A question arises, is the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Mr. Kotyakov aware of such an initiative, or is he, as always, the last to learn about such news? As shown by recent events and his personal revelations, for example, he only learned about the demand of the Russians to give every person money by the end of May***. However, the well-fed man averted his eyes when this was stated in an interview with Pozner. And he also said that he was surprised that "because of such a small amount – 10 thousand rubles for a child, citizens brought down the site of public services". Well, really, how can the Minister of Labour know about the mass redundancies and the beginning of mass starvation in Russia? The fact that, today, tens of thousands of people are begging for food on social networks to feed their children and hundreds of thousands are ready to work for food - is absolutely secret information that is not available to him- "a mere mortal", who happened to be in the government of the Russian Federation.
Another question arises: maybe he is the Minister of Oligarchic Labour and Government Officials’ Social Affairs? Because, outwardly, he doesn’t really look like the defender of the general population, and he has obvious problems with the availability of up-to-date information about the situation which the Russians -whose social protection he should be responsible for- are in.
Anyway, the unions have either "given up" or " been blown up". Mr. Minister of Labour and Social Affairs does not understand who he works for and does not understand who he protects. You can forget about their existence.
If we do not speak with one voice to the face of the president, the prime minister, and the insolent fat oligarchs about everything that we think concerning such an initiative and those who are promoting it RIGHT NOW, we will really turn into voiceless slaves, or into necessary things (for the time being), which are worn out and then thrown into the trash.
Do not expect that your rights will be protected by those who are obliged to do it, or that someone else will stand up for you- someone more conscious and active! Create and sign petitions, hold protest marches in regions where the regime allows it!
Remember, if you wait for a miracle, the oligarchs will continue to "perform miracles" and there will be really hard times for you and your family and there's no guarantee that it will be possible to return your rights even at the cost of the blood you shed.
Don't wait to be destroyed as a person and citizen! Start acting today!
https://eaomedia.ru/news/947277/
The Russian Trilateral Commission for the Regulation of Social and Labour Relations includes representatives of national trade union associations, national employers' unions and the Government of the Russian Federation.