toed gi nasnatenipoden iy

Soviet workers have built the world’s largest hydro-electric station which stretches dozens of miles on both sides of the Volga near Kuibyshev.

HE Soviet trade unions are the

biggest, public, mass organ-
ization of the industrial and of-
fice workers of the USSR. They
unite in their ranks, on a volun-
tary basis, tens of millions of
working people of all occupa-
tions, irrespective of their race,
nationality, sex or religious be-
liefs.

Trade unions play an import-
ant role in the social, economic
and cultural life of the country
and are influential organizations
in the USSR.

The activities of the Soviet
trade unions are multiform.

They take an active part in
drafting and implementing legis-
lation concerning industry.

They organize socialist emu-
lation of industrial and office
workers, for fulfillment and over-
fulfillment of production plans,

for raising labor productivity,

for improving quality and lower-
ing production costs — which
are most important conditions for
strengthening the “ economic
might of the country and for a
further growth of the people’s
well-being.

The trade unions support and
publicize the methods of the fore-
most workers, assist in introduc-
ing advanced techniques easing
the labor of the worker and rais-

Women welder's helping to build a tractor plant.

ing its productivity, and create
all necessary conditions for work-
ers and office employees to raise
their cultural level and improve
their technical knowledge and
skill.

In the USSR there is com-
plete legislation concerning la-
bor protection and safety engin-
eering. The trade unions su-
pervise the observance of the
labor laws and see to it that
workers and office employees
are ensured healthy and safe
conditions of work.

Allocations from the state bud-
get for public education, health
services, social insurance and
social maintenance, are constant-
ly increasing in the USSR. Ap-
propriations made for these pur-
poses in the current year ex-
ceeded the 1954 figure by seven
percent.

The Soviet trade unions excer-
cise mass public control over
the implemation of the programs
of housing construction and the
development of cultural and ser-
vice facilities, and over the
functioning of public catering
establishments, stores, polyclin-
ies and public services.

Out of the state social-insur-
ance funds, operated by the
trade unions, they grant tem-
porary disability benefits and
provide working people with free

or reduced rate accommodations
at sanatoria or rest homes.
The Soviet trade unions run
hundreds of sanatoria and rest
homes, where every year millions
of working people take rest or
health cures. The children of
industrial and office workers are
accommodated at summer camps.

Trade union members and their
families benefit by the services
of trade-union clubs, Palaces of
Culture, libraries and cinemas,
which carry on great cultural
and educational activities.

*

The Soviet trade unions are
unflaggingly strengthening the
ties of the “working people of
the USSR with the working
people of other countries. An
increasing number of © foreign
trade union and workers’ dele-
gations come to the Soviet Un-
ion every year. In their turn,
in the last years, hundreds of
Mutual exchange of delegations
visited many foreign countries.
Mutual exchange of delegation
plays an important role in
strengthening international soli-
darity and working-class unity.

The Soviet trade unions are
built up on the principle of demo-
cratic centralism, which means
that all trade union bodies, from
the lowest to the highest, are
elected by the membership and
are accountable to them.

‘All trade union members have
the right to elect and be elected
to all trade union bodies, trade-
union conferences and congres-
ses, without any restrictions. All
leading trade union bodies are
elected by secret ballot. Decis-
ions of the trade union organ-
izations are taken by the ma-
jority vote and no resolution can
be adopted against the will and

desire of the majority of trade |

union members.

The Soviet trade unions are
organized on the industrial prin-
ciple. This means that all per-
sons employed in the same fac-
tory or institution belong to
the same union, irrespective of
their trade or profession. Each
trade union unites industrial and
office workers employed in one
branch of the national economy.

Many years of experience have
shown the advantages of this
system of organization over the
shop or narrow trade principle.
If there is only one trade union
organization at an enterprise, of-
fice, institute or any other or-
ganization, it is in a better posi-
tion to help direct all the efforts
of the personnel to solving the
major tasks facing the given en-
terprise, to penetrate more. deep-
ly into all aspects of production
and to satisfy more fully the
material, cultural and other re-

By A. VYRYPAYEV

va

- Trade unions in the USSR

_ Saas

quirements of the
people.

working

What is the structure of the
Soviet trade unions and how is
genuinely broad democracy im-
plemented there in practice?

The basic units of a trade un-
ion are the primary trade union
organizations, made up of trade
union members employed at the
same enterprise or institution. It
is precisely here, directly at the
enterprise, in the midst of the
working people, that all the or-
ganizational and _ educational
work of the trade unions is car-
ried out.

The highest organ of a prim-
ary trade union organization is
the general meeting of trade un-
ion members. Each trade union
member has the right to take part
in the discussion of any problem
on the agenda of the meeting,
to criticize shortcomings in trade
union and production activities,
and to make his or her sugges-
tions. The trade wnion member
has the right of a decisive vote
when a decision is taken.

At the general meetings of

trade union members of a pri-
mary trade union organization,
factory, plant and local commit-
tees are elected which do the
every-day trade union work.
These committees, just as all
other leading trade union bodies,
are elected by secret ballot. The
observance of the secrecy of
voting enables each member of
the trade union to vote “for” or
“against” the candidate nominat-

ed for the given trade union -

body.

Shop trade union commitees
are set up at the shops of indus-
trial enterprises and trade un-
ion bureaus in the departments
or offices. These bodies carry
out all the trade-union activities
in shops or departments. Trade

re form
ing i
aries

union group organizer 4
ed among members work
the same team, section, U2»

All these bodies, in cartvitt
out their work, rely for soe
on active trade unionists. fort
trade - union committees 95
standing commissions SUC tee”
production, wage, labor PF
tion, housing, cultural and cial
commissions, as well as sitio?
insurance councils. In ee
to the trade union grouP ges
izer, each group elects, at Be:
eral meeting, a social insu
delegate, a public labor F aizet
tion inspector and an or8#
of cultural activities. ach

The highest organ of
trade union is the congré pet
this trade union and 1 3
iod between two congress un
the central committee of ME
ion, elected by the const So

The highest organ of * usse
viet trade unions is ')” 5) the
Congress of Trade Unions: ©. aij
period between the Congress fit
the trade union activities is entt®)
ected by the All4Union the
Council of Trade Unions:
AUCCTU. e

This organizational sire
of the Soviet trade yooh de-
sures full observance Of ' yoiod
mocracy and the tr ° ert
discipline necessary for
work of trade unions. | dies

All Soviet trade union jeadem™
are organs of collective ©“ om
ship, where there is Da de
for any bossing or dicta es"
cisions on questions. Ee ynio®
lution is taken by Wf 7 4 of
committees only after  entite
change of opinion. 4 off the
trade union work is, base” 4 adi:
method of persuasion 4?
cation of the masses. gent?

Built on principles of ade WU
democratism, the Soviet pe witd
ions maintain close DOD’. yies
the popular masses — the™

union groups headed by a tradetheir strength.

Workers on the expanding Moscow subway:
PACIFIC TRIBUNE — AUGUST 26, 1955 —