The Presidium is the governing body and is
comprised of thirteen members. The next top body is
the Central Committee with one hundred and
twenty-three members and thirty-nine alternates.
This is followed by the eleven-member Auditing
Committee. Then there is the eleven-member
Republican Committee; the six-member District
Committee; and the one hundred and one-member
Regional Committee. The local unions branch out
from there.

Conventions are held once every five years
although plenary sessions are held two or three
times a year. A plenary session consists of about one

- hundred and twenty-three delegates.

In charge of the Central Committee are a
president and three secretaries. They look after the
Production and Wages Department; labour
Protection Department, Social Insurance Depart-
ment; Housing Department; Cultural Department;
Organizing Department; International Affairs; and
Law Inspection. :

Over ninety-eight percent of the Russian
workforce is organized although union membership
is not compulsory. Both union and non-union
members receive the same fringe benefits such as
sick leave, use of libraries, sporting equipment, and
housing accommodation. However, if you are a
union member, you receive housing at a reduced
price. You also receive a higher percentage of sick
leave.

The funding of the labour movement is based on
1% of the worker’s income which amounts to an
annual budget of seventy-six million rubles per year.
One ruble is equivalent to one dollar and seventy
cents Canadian. The unions also have another
source of revenue which is 0.15% of the wage stock
of the companies or enterprises.

The social insurance budget is funded from the
enterprises. The Russians term this “donations” but
this is not an accurate description because industry
by law is compelled to pay 4.7% of the wage package
to the social insurance fund:

Workers are paid generally on an_ incentive
system. Incentive for production appears to be of
great concern not only to the enterprises but to the
unions. Rates of productivity are set by industry but
must be approved by the unions.

All disagreements between industry and unions
are arbitrated by the Central Committee and the
unions have the final say.

There is no such thing as automatic annual wage
increases. However, there is provision for increases
where it can be shown the job has been upgraded.

The Woodworkers Union has not received a wage
increase since 1973 but allowances have been
made, for instance, for the Siberian Woodworkers
who are given higher incentives because of their
much harsher working conditions.

The cost of basic consumer goods has not risen
since 1961; only the luxury goods have increased in
price. Rent for housing has not changed since 1928.
This is due, however, to the sorry state of the houses
which they are now tearing down and replacing with

- modern apartments or condominiums.

i+

i eS

‘Da Care Cent on
fy: These children gave gifts of roses to the IWA visitors.

re at Krasnodar. This centre can accommodate up fo two hundred children per

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER AUGUST — SEPTEMBER, }

Con] Be | LOE ¢ eT oe

~~

waiting to be

Mill enterprise at Mostovoya showing the great mobile cranes and huge piles of log A
limbed at the

processed. Logs taken to this mill still have tops and limbs on and are topped and de-
mill site.

Se a Sade Ge J -
: T f al “ a L-
ee: Be eee: : as
ot: ie f joo aaa 5 *
4 itm =} en ee i }
t f

Sardis oe

tes = ‘
"
Furniture factory at Kuban showing the women workers at Visit to a Russian workers home in Montovoya “en-
work. A great number of women in Russia work in the terprise”.
plants and factories.
t
0
y
Tea House on tea plantation in Sochi. Visitors are treated to President Munro with mill manager Leo G. Fouxman, in
tea and light snack and the custom is to see which visitor front of a closet cabinet unit. Manager and a number of
can consume the most tea. First Vice-President Bob union members were presented with medals by Jacob ~
Blanchard won hands down among the Regional visitors. Tanevsky for work performance, ingenuity or successful
suggestions, at the Kuban furniture factory.
*
‘

Pa
De

No effort is spared to ensure the children have planty of toys and an excellent play area-