Social Partnership

Abstract

One of the defining characteristics of the post-communist Russian trade union movement is its adherence to ‘social partnership’. It is almost impossible to open a union publication without encountering the term; it is impossible to talk to a Russian trade unionist about her movement without the topic arising at some point. Where did this ideology of social partnership come from, and what do contemporary Russian trade unionists mean when they talk about social partnership? What does social partnership mean in practice and what are its implications for the development of trade unions and industrial relations in Russia? This chapter will consider the first of these questions by way of introduction, before turning to the more complex topic of the practice and implications of social partnership.