Soviet Trade Unions

Abstract

The history of Soviet Trade Unions falls into three distinct periods. The first was from the outbreak of October Revolution to the introduction of the New Economic Policy. The second period ends with the opening of the first Five-Years Plan, and the third is the period of organised planning. Soviet Trade Unions differ from Trade Unions in capitalist countries in several important respects, some the result of historical development, some of the political structure and the economic and cultural conditions of the USSR For the Soviet Trade Unions are directly and positively interested in the organisation and increase of production and in economic life in general. The Soviet wage is part of the economic planning of the country. It is fixed as a whole by means of elaborate planning machinery; and the distribution of the total wage-bill among different industries is one of the main methods of contracting or expending production in those industries in accordance with the main plan.