INTAS Draft Programme:
The circulated papers will serve as background for discussion thematically organised
as below. Any volunteers to introduce sessions would be very welcome. Otherwise I
will do it myself!
Thursday April 14
Morning 10-13.00
Presentation of country reports
Afternoon 14.00-17.30
The politicisation of post-soviet trade unions: objective circumstances or subjective
preferences?
A general feature of post-socialist trade unions is the extent to which they try to
achieve their aims by political means, rather than by developing their workplace
organisation: collaboration with state bodies; integration with state structures;
lobbying for legislation; participating in tripartite structures.
An important area of debate is the extent to which this is a result of the reproduction
of traditional practices; a rational strategic direction dictated by their objective
circumstances; or a positive strategic decision made by the trade union leadership.
We also have to consider the international pressures on trade unions and industrial
relations systems in the post-socialist states, from the IMF, EU and ILO and from
international investment. How have these pressures varied from country to country,
and what determines the degree of their importance?
Friday April 15th
Morning 10-13.00
The strength and weaknesses of post-soviet trade unions?
How effective have post-soviet trade unions been in representing the interests of their
members, and of the population as a whole, in the face of the transition to a capitalist
market economy? To what extent have the achievements of the trade unions been the
results of trade union strength, and to what extent have they been the results of
governmental weakness?
What are the specific strengths and weaknesses of the post-socialist trade unions?
How do we explain these strengths and weaknesses?
Afternoon 14.00-17.30
Future prospects for post-socialist trade unions.
What are the main limitations that post-socialist trade unions need to address and
overcome? What are the main barriers to strengthening post-socialist trade unions?
What are the prospects and what is the timescale for positive developments in postsocialist trade unions.
What positive lessons can the trade unions of post-socialist countries draw from
successful experiences elsewhere?
Saturday April 16
Morning 10-13.00
Collective bargaining and work place trade union organisation.
The dependence of the workplace trade union on management and its integration into
management structures is a central feature of the legacy of state-socialism which has
to be overcome if trade unions are effectively to represent their members. What are
the possibilities of workplace trade unions establishing their independence of
management and what barriers do they confront? To what extent do higher trade
union bodies reinforce the identification of the workplace trade union with
management and what steps can they take effectively to strengthen workplace trade
unions.
To what extent have post-socialist trade unions managed to establish their
independence of employers in sectoral bargaining, and to what extent do sectoral
agreements provide a framework for trade unions to lobby the interests of the branch
in collaboration with the employers?
As a conclusion of this session we will discuss the work programme for the second
year of the INTAS project.