The conference of April 4, 2000 between the activists of the Alliance of Trade Unions of Russia "Defense" and representatives of public organizations decided to begin preparations for the All-Russian action in defense of the present Labor Code and formed Coordinating Committee.  The conference decided to hold the Day of United Actions on May 17, 2000 under the following demands:

1.  No--to the Government's Draft Labor Code!  No--to short-time contracts and the arbitrariness of  "bosses" and authorities!

2. Yes--to Workers Control of Production!!

This campaign is necessary because:

-the Russian government considers the change of the Labor Code as one of its primary goals.   We understand very well that laws works only when workers are united.  But it is in the interests of the Russian working class to have a progressive labor legislation which provides a better position for struggle.  Moreover, the labor movement must now go from defense to offense and raise demands for a labor code that improves the situation of wage labor.  It is impossible to defend even the present Labor Code if the line of struggle is defined by our opponents.  Our struggle for the Draft Labor Code written by the Workers Academy Foundation is important also because this Draft defines  the objectives of labor movement and some of its articles can be used in negotiating collective agreements.

-in 1994 and 1998-99 left labor movement succeeded in organizing the protest against the government's plans to liquidate the Labor Code.  Rank-and-file members of "Defense" and other left organizations of workers should see their local cell as a part of broad all-Russian movement which is able to influence not only their own manager but Russian powers to be as well.

-this campaign will become a test of our strength.  It will send the ruling class the message that it deals with the organized part of the working class not controlled by the Federation of Independent Unions of Russia (FNPR).

We will not learn to act as a nation-wide labor movement if we do not respond to global problems facing the proletariat which cannot be solved locally.

Our campaign may include

--publishing materials on the issues of labor laws in local and regional press through personal contacts with
editors;

--discussions of this problem on radio and TV;

--round-table discussions with regional leaders FNPR committees, mass-media representatives, and local authorities;

--approaching  regional committees of CPRF with the proposal to make the defense of the Labor Code the main slogan of Mayday activities;

-- discussion of labor law issues with local legislature and governors;

--collecting signatures against the Government's Draft Labor Code and sending them to local authorities and State Duma deputies from this location;

--official letters to and meeting with State Duma deputies, above all, those of OVR, Russian Regions, Yabloko, CPRF, and the Agrarians, paying special attention to Russian Regions and OVR factions as wavering, and taking into account tactical disagreements between Yabloko and the Kremlin;

--leaflet campaign and banners against the Government's Draft Labor Law on Mayday;

--organizing the Day of United Actions on May 17 that will include rallies, pickets, work stoppages, and meetings;

telegrams of protest to Seleznev (Speaker) and Putin

NO--TO THE LABOR CODE OF SLAVERY!  YES--TO THE  LABOR CODE OF LABOR!

Coordinating Committee of the All-Russian Campaign in Defense of the Present Labor Code

Contact addresses:

shein72@ mail.ru
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Deputy O. V. Shein,
State Duma,
Moscow, 103265, Russia
Tel.: (095) 292-98-38; tel/fax: 292-89-06.

M. V. Popov,
Workers Academy Foundation
Smolny, room 441,
St. Petersburg, 193060, Russia
Tel. (812) 279-87-17, fax. 272-73-26.