Russian FNPR and Ukrainian FPU have organized millions of employees

In attendance at the SAK Congress are representatives of its sister organizations from 14 countries. Natalia Klimova came from Russia where she works as the Chief expert at the union confederation FNPR's international department. The 25 million rank and file member FNPR has good working relations with the political leadership of the country, she says.

"It has been helpful in our efforts to improve, and also to protect, the social security system." Recently this help was really needed when the association of powerful oligarchs launched an attack on both the pension system and the health insurance system. The attack was so fierce that FNPR organized an extra Congress to handle the problem. At the Congress Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised to the resist the reforms demanded by the oligarchs.

However, the number of FNPR rank and file members has begun to decline. Partly this is a consequence of natural aging, and partly due to difficulties in organizing young employees. Young people are not against unions. It is not a question of negative attitudes towards unions but more of ignorance as to what unions stand for. Basically, they don&#;8217t have much of a clue about unions, Klimova explains.

The Ukrainian union organization FPU sent three representatives to the SAK Congress. FPU's own recent Congress was unlike meetings in the past when decisions were not usually implemented in praxis. "This time the resolutions will concretely guide our policy and activity", says Iurii Kulyk, the Vice President of the 8.5 million rank and file member FPU.

The organization works primarily for decent jobs and for better occupational safety. Ukrainian union activists also struggle for their trade union rights, which are constantly being obstructed and opposed by politicians. FPU has sent a complaint to the ILO about this.

Outside of the FPU there are some 150 "yellow unions", Kulyk says. But, he hastens to add that a new law will probably significantly reduce their number, as they have to be able to prove to the authorities that they are "real unions". They will have to provide information about their collective agreements, offices etc.

Photos from SAK's Congress (Flickr)