TRADE-UNION STRUCTURES: "NETWORK" OR "PYRAMID"?
What can and do higher level trade union bodies do to develop moreeffectiveworkplace tradeunions?
To what extent do higher level trade union bodies take up, encourage and propagate initiatives of grass roots union organizations?
The effectiveness of primary trade-union organizations in many respects is determined by the degree and character of support on the part of higher level trade-union structures. In the most successful cases investigated by us within the framework of the project, the trade-union "matrix" institutionalisestheenergy of a social movement "from below". Moreover, trade-union structures also do not remain constant but adapt to developing conditions. Traditional territorial and branch trade-union associations are supplemented with other flexible, superstructural forms of trade-union structures in transnational corporationsand financial-industrial groups, such as councils of chairmen of the trade union committees ofenterprises, inter-regional trade-union organizations, social councils formed on an equal footing from representatives of labour collectives, as a rule trade-union organizations, and administrations. Such flexible structures make it possible to strengthenthe trade-union presence and do not contradict the preservation of the integrity and unity of trade unions.
Transformation of trade-union structures can sometimes result in "loss" of primary organisationsfrom their sphere of influence. However, in conditions of isolation only the strong primary trade-union organizations existing at economically successful enterprisessurvive. So, for example, the trade union of workers of Open Society "Avisma" in 1992 left the structure of the regional organization of FNPR. And later in 1999 this primary organization left the structure of the branch trade-union organization – the Mining-metallurgical trade union of Russia.
The situation was characterized by the fact that the trade union of an economically successful enterprise, did not see the necessity for deduction of payments to higher structures as they were not given any real help "from above". First of all, requests of the primary organization for legal support and protection of the rights of workers at the enterprise were not satisfied. Thus functions of the regional committee of GMPRwere actually limited to distribution of the payments collected, whereas real support for primary organisations(by granting advisory help in negotiating with the employer) did not appear.
The character of relations between the primary organization (already the independent trade-union organization of workers of Avisma) and the organizations of regional and branch levels at the present stage can be characterized as no more thana coexistence of structures. At the same time, the primary trade-union organization does not exclude the possibility of association, but considers other possible variants (The Chemical Industry Trade Union, association of enterprises of the aviation industry) with extreme care (taking into account its past experience).
By the example of the primary trade-union organization of Avisma we see, that despite all the experience of successful functioning, nevertheless, there is a need to belong to trade-union structures of higher level. This is shown in the need to widen both the information field of activity, and experience of interaction and cooperation with other trade-union organizations of a different level. Attempts to avoid isolation are realized through dialogue mainly with organizations at the local level. The chairman of theAvisma trade union committeeholds a post as a deputy in the city Coordination Council. This enables him to maintain working relations with the trade-union organizations of the city. Above the municipal level, the trade union experiences difficulty in establishing working contact with similar enterprises of the branch.
"Loneliness" in the trade-union space affects the overall performance of primary organisationsin terms of the receipt of "fresh" information from the center, the organization of trade union training andthe exchange of experience with other trade-union organizations on conducting the collective agreementprocess at the enterprise.
It is far from being the case that all successful trade-union organizations aspire to leave the framework of vertical structures ("pyramids") and to replace them with their horizontal "network" contacts to other primary organisations. So, for example, the trade-union organization of the Solikamsk magnesium factory traditionally cooperates with the Central Committee of the trade union, the Regional Council of trade unions and the Regional Committee of the Mining-Metallurgical trade union. Higher structures render various kinds of support for the trade-union organization of the factory: informational – they organize presidiums, plenums, every possible kind of forum; carry out training; advise and give methodical recommendations; work with youth.
The primary organisationhad "to struggle" for 7 years to get such support and understanding from the regional committee. The former chairman of the branch regional committeewas not interested in realizing the principles of the trade union, protection of primary organisationsand work with them.As a result the activity of the chairman was discussed at the Plenum of the regional committeein March, 2006, and the head was removedfrom his post by the decision of a majority of his members.
New primary organisations, created on the initiative of workers of the enterprises, do not always meet understanding on the part of traditional trade-union structures. So the trade union Unity was formed at VAZ in November 1990 as an alternative to the traditional trade union which is a member of theFNPR branch union Avtosel’khozmash (ASM - Auto and Agricultural Machinery Union). A powerful push to its creation was the first strike which occurred at VAZ in September 1989. After the strike repressive measures were taken against participants in the collective action. The trade union ASM then actually supported the administration, and this pushed participants in the strike committees to unite to create a new trade union, to protect the rights of workers, using their lawful opportunities. First it was referred to as the Independent trade union of VAZ, then received the name "Unity". From the moment of its creation the new trade union was included in the all-Russian association Sotsprof, and the chairman of the trade union committee,A.Ivanov, was a member of the Federal Coordination Council.
Till 2006 the trade union Unity carried out its activity under the aegis of the All-Russia Confederation of Labour(VKT). With the assistance of VKTand the active participation of "Unity" the Inter-regional trade union of workers of the motor industry (MPRA), which united the alternative trade-union organizations of motor vehicle building enterprises was created on July, 14, 2006.
Constant information-methodical exchange is carried outbetween the organizations included in MPRA, their leaders participate in joint training seminars and meetings, including international ones. Protestactions at one of the enterprises of the trade-union association, necessarily lead to a solidary response of colleagues at other factories. The trade-union activists of "Unity" render practical help in the creation of alternative trade unions at other enterprises. With their support and methodical help in July, 2006 a trade union was created at the factory GM Avtovaz in Tolyatti.
Till 2006there wasno trade-union organization at GM Avtovaz, that was fully explained by the rigid authoritarianmanagement system. Attempts of the Samara regional committeeof the trade union of workers of the ASM automobile and agricultural machinerytrade union,which is part of theFNPR system, through the intermediary of the VAZtrade union, to encourage at one time the creation of a trade union at the factory was met with incomprehension by the administration.
The activists of the new trade unionmanaged to break the situation, appealing to the All-Russia Confederation of Labour(VKT) with a request to join VKT to get support from an organization which had already built up experience of working at enterprises with foreign capital. Having encounteredharsh repression,the trade union committeefrom the very beginning appealed to the resourceof solidarity. A powerful campaign of support was developed in support of the disfavoured trade union and its activists. Already at the beginning of September 2006 VKTa solidarity picket was carried at the representative office of the company GM AVTOVAZ in Moscow, withthe support of left organizations (Socialist resistance, the socialist movement"Forward"). «No to the persecution of trade-union activists!», «For freedom of trade unions!» , - said posters in the hands of the pickets. Activists were able to use the Internet. They placed information about the events at the enterprise and appeals to render solidary support on sites of independent trade-union associations and associations of the working-class movement, both Russian, and international.
The Chairman of the All-Russia Confederation of Labour, Boris Kravchenko, some days prior to the picket sent a letter to the head of GM CIS, Warren Brown, with the warning that if GM management did not respond to the demands of the pickets, VKTwould initiate a boycott at the level of all theGM trade unions.
After solidarity campaign, the managementof GM-Europe decided to transfer the directorofGM AVTOVAZ, R.Svando,to another enterprise and informed VKTand has chairman of the trade union of GM AVTOVAZ, Andrei Lyapin, that an internal investigation had been started into the facts of antitrade-union activity at the enterprise. A list of questions concerning pressure on the trade union and the reasons for the refusal of its recognition was sent from Zurich to the administration and the trade union.
The All-Russia Confederation of Labour positively estimatesboth these facts, seeing in them an opportunity for the beginning of a meaningful dialogue between the trade-union organization and the renovated administration of the enterprise. After consultation with activists of theGM AVTOVAZ trade union, VKTdecided to suspend the protest campaign around the enterprise to enable the parties to begin constructive negotiations.
Thus, creation and establishment of a new trade union became possible due to its inclusion in a network of trade-union activity at a global level, its active interaction with colleagues from foreign trade unions.
The regional committeeof ASM (FNPR),which had not earlier managed to create a primary organization at the enterprise, created one in August, 2006. The regional committeeprovided methodical support, its specialists provided model regulations about the primary organization, helped to issue the necessary package of documents, and came to the meeting with explanations.
Despite loyalty on the part of the administration and appeals to join the trade union, at the moment of research, according to the chairman of the regional committee, the traditional trade union at GMdid not have more than 30 members. According to the concept of the regional committee this trade union accepts into its ranks all employees, irrespective of their status. The regional committee, with the aim of supporting ‘its’primary organisation,has planned to provide consultations with the lawyer and experts on social questions of the regional committee at the joint venturetwice a month.
The basic purposes of the FNPR trade union practically do not differ from those proclaimed by the independent trade union, but as against theircompetitor,herethey consider strikes and pickets to be an extreme measure, and at the top of the list of their activity they put competent dialogue with the administration.
As the experience of the Samara regional committeeof theconstruction workerstrade union shows,a peacefulcoexistence of new advanced practiceswith traditional practicesof trade-union work is possible.
With the widespread use of temporary employment and accompanying fragmentation of labour relations trade union faced new tasks which have demanded the modernization of the work of the trade union. They have come to understand that the traditional model of activity of the regional committee of the trade union, with a stress on stable primary organizations, to be exact on the chairmen of trade union committees, cannot work effectively in conditions of flexibilisation ofemployment and work organization in the industry. In conditions when a significant proportion consists of temporary labour, «labour without an enterprise», it is necessary to remove restrictions according to the sector and level of the trade union. For the construction business a model of a trade union without primary organisations, where all masons or crane operators are registered in the regional organization,is fast approaching.
Remaining within the framework of the traditional trade-union space, the regional committeecontinuously searches for forms of work which would allow it most effectively to carry out its protective functions for any worker in the industry. There is a development of one of the most important functions – the seller of labour power. When work on a building object comes to an end, theregional committeeеrecommends a brigade of workers to the next employer, thus already strictly watching for observance of their labour rights. The regional committeeplans to expand this direction of work, intuitively seeing it as promising.
The closest attention is given to increasing the educational level not only of leaders of the primary organizations, but also of members of trade-union committees. The latteris one more of the lines of modernization of work as traditionally trade-union training covered only a narrow target group – chairmen the trade union committees. Relaying the knowledgereceivedto the level of shop trade-union activists and rank-and-file members of the trade union was always beyond the sphere of competenceofthe regional committee. Taking into account the significant level of bureaucratisation of thelayer of trade-union heads of primary organizations and their indissoluble connection with the employers, in the organization of trade-union training priorities have been gradually displaced towards the improvement of the professional skill of activists on the trade union committees.
For leaders of primary organisationsthere is a monthly «Day of chairmen of trade union committees» - some kind of practical study where concrete situations are analysed and a joint plan of action to resolve the particular problems is developed. There is also customized training of competent leaders. Three chairmen of trade union committeeshave received higher legal education, with the support of the regional committee, which paid for their training.
Work on improvement of means of information and communication to provide a constant feedback with members of the trade union is conducted and will involve new people. In 2005 they created and support their own website. Due to this not only the primary organizations, but also all interested persons,are able to receive effective messages on the activity of all trade-union structures. Mail with questionscomesto the site, which is specially successfulwith young people. On the request of the regional committee,many trade union committeeshave hung out information boards intended for informing people about actions and attracting workers who are not trade union members.
The regional committee of the construction workers trade union of Perm Krai also carries out active work with primary organizations of the building industry on a number of directions.
Within the framework of information work,investigationsare regularly carried out in the form of distribution of inquiries about the results of the activity of primary organizations which are serviced by theregional committee. It is necessary to note the establishment of channels of "feedback": after the analysis the data, as a rule, are distributed toprimary organisationsin aggregate with recommendatory remarks to the organization for their further activity. The character of the data represents, on the one hand, statistical reporting about the dynamics of trade-union membership, timeliness of providing reports and results of carrying out of trade-union actions. On the other hand, the regional committeeregularlyprovides financial reports on the activity of the regional committee and information on further plans for development.
With the purpose of studying the practice of development and the effectiveness of collective agreements as a tool for the protection of the social-labour rights of workers, the regional committeedevelops and directsa detailed list of questions on this subject to a number of the organizations in all spheres of the construction industry. Moreover, the regional committee gathers information and monitors the procedure of acquainting workers with the contents of the collective agreement at the enterprises.
The next important direction of work of the regional committeewith primary organisationsis monitoring the dynamics of industrial accidents – a question to which the regional committeebegan to pay greater attention As a result of the reduction of state monitoring of this sphere. The regional committeekeeps records of accidents, analyzing the reasons and the measures adopted for the elimination of such actions in the future.
As a stimulus for the activity of the work of primary organizations,the regional committee carries out competitions for:
- for trade-union organizations on the best organisation of work;
- for enterprises on the creation of safe working conditions;