Almost everybody abuses strike on VAZ: because of paucity, disorganization, absence of distinct management, illegality at last. They abuse from the right and at from the left, both bourgeois and trade-union editions. At that for some reason nobody try to discourse of the following: whether there could be different strike at the enterprise where more than 90% of workers enter the trade union which never (!) initiated even labour dispute with the employer. At that labour personnel of VAZ passed through all burdens of the postSoviet life (galloping inflation, scanty salary, multimonthly debts, etc.). And never the trade union in which hands there always was a tool of compulsion of the employer to decent behaviour used it.
Nevertheless, there were strikes on VAZ, they were organized by small trade union "Unity" pursued and chased at any authority. However, influence of this trade union despite of its relatively small number (all in all nearby 1%) over and above outweighs conciliation of "partner-like" trade union from Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia. I expect objections that collective agreement signed by the trade union with VAZ is not so bad. It's true that social privileges of people working on VAZ up to recently were ahead of the Russian average level. But whether it's an achievement of "a big trade union"? I am doubtful.
It is very simple: all these privileges workers of VAZ received not as a result of the organized struggle (not class then trade-union) but on favour of authorities. First it was the Soviet state that made moving to far Volga steppes attractive to tens thousand people, then - own "red" directors by inertia supported initially high level of privileges on VAZ. By the way, they, however, did not offend themselves, but also let the worker live. The situation, certainly, changed not in the best way as everywhere but the strongest blow on the living standard of people from VAZ is being administered now, after the transfer of power to alien "outsiders". All these privileges and social chargers are - pure liability. It's not worth waiting for mercy from them.
Welcome to capitalism, comrades, here you can receive every pleasant thing though struggle. The problem is that people from VAZ (as well, actually, as the majority of working people in Russia) didn't learn how to struggle for the standard of living, salaries, privileges, etc. Well, who taught them? Whether it's native trade union which uncomplaining signed dismissals of objectionable active workers to its employee? So, it turns out that to pass a science of resistance and struggle workers should pass by themselves, through such wildcat strike, revolts, sabotage, etc. The question of legality is not principal.
In fact there was time when strikes, any kind of them illegal and strikers were arrested and shot. However, just because the fact workers striked all the same having disdained interdictions and danger, today we has such pleasant things as the rights of workers, labour legislation, collective agreement, etc. So, we should welcome the strike of workers from VAZ, as it's the first, this time shy sign of awakening of workers of Russia to struggle for a worthy life. The more extensively, better organized and more successful will be this struggle, the closer we would be to... civil society (if someone doesn't like the word socialism).
