Western style democracy and rule of law have resulted in the
reality for Russian workers who face a massive backlog of unpaid
wages. In many cases, starvation now looms.
One Russian worker in four is no longer paid regularly. More
than 20 million people in Russia do not receive their wages on
time. Many are owed between six and twelve months' pay. The state
and the employers owe some 10 billion US dollars in unpaid wages.
And one Russian worker in eight is now paid in kind rather
than in cash. It is not uncommon to see workers try to raise
money by selling their employers' products on the streets after
hours. This October, workers at a state farm in Vologda were
"paid" in manure-delivered to their doorsteps.
Workers have responded to non-payment in many ways. The
trade unions have organised a series of strikes and
demonstrations. This includes hunger strikes and workplace
occupations. Acts of civil disobedience have involved the
blocking of rail lines and roads. The new wave of protests
throughout the Russian Federation marks the decision by Russian
trade unions of all tendencies to make the payment of wage
arrears a priority.
TML DAILY, 11/28/97
Shawgi Tell
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
