On October 25th, 2007, at the conference of the workers of the First, Second and Fourth Stevedoring companies of the group of companies JSC “Sea Port of Saint-Petersburg” primary trade union organization of dockworkers made a decision to stage a walkout for an indefinite period of time starting from November 13th, 2007.

The representatives of the workers claimed that the reason for the strike was an unsettled disagreement with the employer, meaning the refusal of the administration of the group of companies to satisfy the demand to increase the basic salaries and wage rates of the workers of the company by 30%.

Administration of JSC “Sea Port of Saint-Petersburg” qualifies such actions of the port trade union committee of dockworkers as provocative and populist.

On September 24th, 2007, by the instruction of the general director of JSC “Sea Port SPb” Sergey Chelyadin the companies of the group signed the orders on the increase of salaries to several categories of the port workers starting from October 1st, 2007. The increase of the basic salaries and wage rates with regard to the rest of the categories was planned for the beginning of the next year. The information on the increase of the basic salaries and wage rates, being prepared by the administration, wasn’t a secret for the trade union committee. To be aware of the increase and at the same time to demand openly the increase of the salary is a way to earn some popularity for the union leaders, because under these circumstances the increase would be considered by the port workers as the result of the efforts from the side of the trade union committee.

The strike will first of all badly affect ordinary port workers. Having started the strike in November, they will receive less money during the period before the New Year. The strike also put off for the indefinite period of time the discussion of the planned salary rise. This may lead to the situation, when the expectations of the port workers will only be satisfied in the middle of 2008 at most.

Reference: For the last years average monthly salary in the group of companies JSC “Sea Port of Saint-Petersburg grew from 21 614 rubles in 2005 to 26 152 rubles in 2006 and 26939 rubles for 9 months of 2007. Average salaries of the dockers (main category of workers) for the same period amounted to 26 990 rub. in 2005, 32 118 rub. in 2006 and 33 196 rub. for 9 months of 2007.

During pre-election period left-wing radical and extremist movements have become especially active in Russia, putting serious pressure on the working class through the trade union committees of the companies. These tendencies were noted not only with regard to the entities and the Sea Port in Saint-Petersburg, but also in Tuapse, Tolyatti, Moscow, Novorossiisk, Nakhodka and other Russian cities.

Director’s office on public relations

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