Rebirth of the Unions - Russia
Sep 23 2006
#2
Isn't Kargalitsky the guy always advertised as a 'Russian socialist' by the Trotskyists? And these non-class collaborationist unions - can you give some examples?
Sep 25 2006
#3
Alf wrote:
Isn't Kargalitsky the guy always advertised as a 'Russian socialist' by the Trotskyists? And these non-class collaborationist unions - can you give some examples?
Yes, Kagarlitsky is. While I get the impression that he's principled by Russian standards, I wouldn't say he has any sort of revolutionary perspective.
AFAIK the only "non-class collabarationist" union in Russia is the Siberian Confederation of Labour (SKT) which is a syndicalist union based around several cities in Siberia. There were a lot of initiatives in the 90s around new union initiatives, but they were all still born or co-opted.
Regards,
Martin
Sep 25 2006
#4
Boris Kagarlizkey is russian leftist politik and jornalist.
Hi likes Chaves, modern Bolivian president Morales, Labor Party of Brasil, ATTAK ets. He is social-demokrat like some of trotskists or even like left laborists in UK.
SKT is sort of tred-union with some not clear sindikalists ideas in the hads of some of they leaders. But i do not think it is possible to call them sindikalists. For example they think that not general assembly but union comettey (or strike commity) has to make stratagicle disigions during strike.
In the statuts of some of they lokal organisations they declare "social partneship" but when we ask them they say: "this is just for bosses, to make them think about us better then we are. This is just for registration of our unions, for legal work at the factory".
Igor Kuznezov, one of they leaders, was opened leninist, member of small leninist party, but in the and he was kicked awey (after some years of work in SKT).
What is troof thet SKT partisipated 1 or 2 times in some direct action, for example in the blocade of transsibirian reairoad. From another side thay like to use state coots for defends of some "social rights".
They wright in the statut that they strugle for selforgernised siciety and som of them say they are lebertarian socialists but i think overs don't even know what is it.
So in my understanding this is tipical left tred-union.
Sep 26 2006
#5
This thread went very quiet after maggid pitched in. jason, oliver and martin were all opening a door wide to leftism: Russian leftist celebrities, and 'new unions'. maggid should be given a 'salut' for reasserting class principles so clearly.
Sep 26 2006
#6
Yeah, Kagarlitsky is pretty much a Social Democrat, but one who is critical of the USSR. As social democrats go, he's alright. But thats not saying much. 
Also, I remember reading his stuff a few years ago talking about the 'return of the unions' in Russia, so while its possible that he'll be right this time I think the guy's prone to wishful thinking.
Sep 26 2006
#7
double post
Sep 27 2006
#8
Quote:
This thread went very quiet after maggid pitched in. jason, oliver and martin were all opening a door wide to leftism: Russian leftist celebrities, and 'new unions'. maggid should be given a 'salut' for reasserting class principles so clearly.
Oi! I posted that link not coz I endorsed it but coz I wanted comments about the situation in Russia, of which I'm quite ignorant (where is Russia anyway?). Next time I'll add a query or something to avoid confusion. Thanks for everyone's input.
Sep 27 2006
#9
I know Kagarlizky personaly. I even ask him to read some artikles for company were i work- artikles about social-democrasy. And it was good.
He is a good gay. But there is nothing revolutiomary in his position.
Very interesting.
Hopefully if this is a real trend the SKT comes out huge as the main (and most well-developed) non-class-collaborationist union.