Oligarchs suggest Russians should work as hard as farm animals

[Kiev Communard]

The Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs set forth another outstanding initiative, which, as they would say before, was designed to strengthen the exploitation of the working class, peasantry and office proletariat. The "trade union of oligarchs" offers to introduce 12-hour working days, fixed-term contracts and cancel study leave allowances.

The suggestions to amend the Russian Labor Code were prepared by the committee for the market of labor of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs chaired by Mikhail Prolhorov, the owner of Onexim Group. According to the draft document, the Union offers to legalize an opportunity of 60-hour working week upon employees' consent.

"The Union only offered to legalize dual jobholding within the scope of one workplace. This is extremely important for teachers and medics who work overtime and can be important for people of other professions who want to work more. No one offered to increase the working week to 60 hours for everyone - the media misinterpreted it. It was a political setup against the union, the new Labor Code and personally against Prokhorov," Natalia Zubarevich, director of the regional program of the Independent Institute of Social Politics told Slon.ru website.

"Many office workers do not receive anything if they have to work overtime, even though if they have to do it against their own will. If we legalize a 60-hour working week, people will be able to work as much as they do now, but they will be paid for it," Yuri Virovets, HeadHunter's president said.

In accordance with applicable law, which is not always applicable as experts admit, the first two hours of overtime work shall be paid not less than 1.5 times regular wage rate; for following hours - not less than two times regular wage rate. At the same time, an automatic increase of the amount of work hours does not increase the productivity of labor.

In addition, the amendments stipulate active use of fixed-term contracts. The majority of Russians work on indefinite term employment agreements, whereas fixed-term contracts are popular with every tenth able-bodied Russian.

The Union offers to conclude fixed-term contracts with first-time employees, particularly high school graduates. They also suggest fixed-time contracts should be concluded with employees aged 60 and over.

The Union also offers to provide paid educational leaves only to those employees, whom employers assigned to education themselves. A paid leave should not be a prerogative of other employees who receive education.

The chairman of the State Duma Committee for Labor and Social Politics Andrey Isaev believes that the suggestions from the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs do not have a chance to be approved at the State Duma.

"Extending the working week can solve the problems of a part of employers today. However, tomorrow it will mean a defeat in the competitive struggle with other countries, where employers are not willing to make farm animals of their employees. Mr. Prokhorov can put forward such suggestions as many as 20 times, have his statements published and republished in any newspapers, but neither United Russia nor the State Duma will support his ideas," Isaev said.

Vitaly Salnik
Bigness

http://english.pravda.ru/business/finance/02-11-2010/115621-russian_oligarchs-0/

Of course, CPRF would say that this is completely irrelevant in comparison with such "glorious acts" they pursue as hailing Putin for Chechen War, engaging in cooperation with clerical fascists of ROC leadership, or bashing the immigrant workers.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

This is fucking disgusting.

[Dire Helix]

Given the absolute apathy of Russian people towards anything, I`m surprised they still haven`t introduced 16-hour working days and legalized child labor. It`s not like anyone would say anything against it. Actually, I`m sure that Putin`s approval ratings would remain sky high even if serfdom was re-instituted.

[Nolan]

"Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs?"

Are they trying to move to corporatism?

[Crimson Commissar]

Fucking annoys me how no matter what happens, NOTHING these days will cause a revolution. We should have overthrown Capitalism years ago, but now it seems no one can even be bothered to do it anymore. I keep hoping that the continued oppression from capitalists will eventually cause a rebellion, but will it ever really happen? If shit like this can go on, and in the former Soviet Union too, without anyone even giving a fuck about it, then I seriously doubt it.

[RadioRaheem84]

God, I would do anything for deterrent against this massive assault on the workers!

I wish there was a Soviet Union or some powerful Socialist state (even if just State Capitalist) to strike some measure of fear into the oligarchs out there!

[ZeroNowhere]

I wish there was an organized working class to strike some measure of fear into the oligarchs out there.

[RadioRaheem84]

Do not these oligarchs have a private security force that almost outnumbers the Russian National Army?

[Nolan]

Do not these oligarchs have a private security force that almost outnumbers the Russian National Army?

I really doubt that. Russia is a major world power.

[Amphictyonis]

Fucking annoys me how no matter what happens, NOTHING these days will cause a revolution. We should have overthrown Capitalism years ago, but now it seems no one can even be bothered to do it anymore.

In Rome the rulers used the Colosseum (gladiator fights/plays etc) and other various arena's to gain the support of the people by distracting them from their miserable lives. I know whats used by the ruling class in the USA but what about Russia? probably much of the same bourgeois MEDIA practices we see in the US.

[Rafiq]

It would seem Revolution could never happen due to people not caring.

No matter what, as long as they have there television, there malls, and mcdonald's, no one cares.

[Sentinel]

Fucking annoys me how no matter what happens, NOTHING these days will cause a revolution. We should have overthrown Capitalism years ago, but now it seems no one can even be bothered to do it anymore. I keep hoping that the continued oppression from capitalists will eventually cause a rebellion, but will it ever really happen? If shit like this can go on, and in the former Soviet Union too, without anyone even giving a fuck about it, then I seriously doubt it.

The curse of the leftists today is that it's still too soon after the 1990's counter-revolution, the bourgeoisie is still smugly triumphant and growing in power. For whatever the 'real socialist' countries actually were -- there sure were many well-founded criticisms against them from a left wing persepective -- they represented an alternative to capitalism. They carried the banner of socialism, and when they were overthrown it was a huge blow for the entire, global socialist movement and a great victory for the global grand capital.

Only 19 years have passed since the Soviet Union was abolished, and the remains of the left are still too demoralised and shattered after that enormous triumph of capitalism. There are some signs of the tide starting to turn again, such as the recent news from Romania (http://www.revleft.com/vb/61-percent-romanians-t143817/index.html), the increasing protests all over the world such as the events in Greece, France, and other countries this year, combined with the continued gradual advance in the south-western hemisphere.

But I think that a totally new generation of committed people, who have grown up after the defeats in the 90's, must take over the as the vanguard of the European left before we as a movement can stop clinging to the past and fully realise, that the only way is up.

[Dimentio]

"Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs?"

Are they trying to move to corporatism?

How strange it does sound, but we are having the same thing in Sweden - the SAF, or "Swedish Enterprise Union".

[Kiev Communard]

The curse of the leftists today is that it's still too soon after the 1990's counter-revolution, the bourgeoisie is still smugly triumphant and growing in power. For whatever the 'real socialist' countries actually were -- there sure were many well-founded criticisms against them from a left wing persepective -- they represented an alternative to capitalism. They carried the banner of socialism, and when they were overthrown it was a huge blow for the entire, global socialist movement and a great victory for the global grand capital.

Only 19 years have passed since the Soviet Union was abolished, and the remains of the left are still too demoralised and shattered after that enormous triumph of capitalism. There are some signs of the tide starting to turn again, such as the recent news from Romania (http://www.revleft.com/vb/61-percent-romanians-t143817/index.html), the increasing protests all over the world such as the events in Greece, France, and other countries this year, combined with the continued gradual advance in the south-western hemisphere.

But I think that a totally new generation of committed people, who have grown up after the defeats in the 90's, must take over the as the vanguard of the European left before we as a movement can stop clinging to the past and fully realise, that the only way is up.

I second that. Don't forget, comrades, that, despite capitalism being developed spontaneously (for much part) in early 19th century, it still took for bourgeois liberals more than 30 years after Napoleon's defeat before the triumphant absolutists were seriously checked (i.e. 1848 revolutions). Even earlier, in post-English Revolution England the Restoration was clearly ascendant for 28 years and serious anti-absolutist (bourgeois conservative) opposition was absent up to James II' times. So I don't think that current situation of widespread demoralisation and absence of serious left-wing alternative is something unique or terminal for our movement. Be what it may, after the Nanotechnologic Revolution will probably commence in 2020s, even the material pre-requisites for classless society will be present. The only thing that would have to be done is for the Left to take the initiative by that time, that is, bringing subjective factor in play.

[sanpal]

What could be mentioned is absence of wide protest movement in the USSR. The soviet people was told during 70 years that in the socialist country there is no bourgeoisie and they have not to go to strike because of economic reason. So the Russians now have no practice in it and no struggle experience while in the West workers regularly were doing strikes, were learning proletarian solidarity and were getting experience of class struggle.

In my opinion the Revolution probably will come to Russia from the West. Though who knows ....

[Queercommie Girl]

What could be mentioned is absence of wide protest movement in the USSR. The soviet people was told during 70 years that in the socialist country there is no bourgeoisie and they have not to go to strike because of economic reason. So the Russians now have no practice in it and no struggle experience while in the West workers regularly were doing strikes, were learning proletarian solidarity and were getting experience of class struggle.

In my opinion the Revolution probably will come to Russia from the West. Though who knows ....


Yes that is the difference between the Russians and the Chinese. For all the distortions of the Cultural Revolution, it did give Chinese workers the right to strike and some practice at engaging in a mass movement against the bureaucracy. This is why the CPSU is completely dead now but the CCP is not.

[Nolan]

What could be mentioned is absence of wide protest movement in the USSR. The soviet people was told during 70 years that in the socialist country there is no bourgeoisie and they have not to go to strike because of economic reason. So the Russians now have no practice in it and no struggle experience while in the West workers regularly were doing strikes, were learning proletarian solidarity and were getting experience of class struggle.

In my opinion the Revolution probably will come to Russia from the West. Though who knows ....


In the U.S. the situation is equally hopeless. There isn't as much proletarian solidarity as there was just a few decades ago. We had a strong union movement at one time. The problem is nationalism and bourgeois ideology. I imagine it's really the same in Russia.

[sanpal]

Yes that is the difference between the Russians and the Chinese. For all the distortions of the Cultural Revolution, it did give Chinese workers the right to strike and some practice at engaging in a mass movement against the bureaucracy. This is why the CPSU is completely dead now but the CCP is not.
This is new for me, maybe I was informed only about distortions

[sanpal]

In the U.S. the situation is equally hopeless. There isn't as much proletarian solidarity as there was just a few decades ago. We had a strong union movement at one time.

Perhaps there are recessions and raisings in movement character


The problem is nationalism and bourgeois ideology. I imagine it's really the same in Russia.
Not quite. In Russia there is the belief in the good 'Tzar' (President, etc.), in the U.S. there is not.