[War] Russia: "Labor Relations"

[Michael Downey]

"Labor Relations"
President Leonid Nemerenko
Russian Federation
5 September 2014
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"Labor disruptions," said Nemerenko as he read the report. Not an
unsurprising event. Before if workers didn't do what they were told
then the MOOP would crack some skulls in the streets or the KGB would
kick down the door of their house and drag them off to some basement
somewhere.... to have their skulls cracked. Up until the point that
the government stopped doing such things and then the Soviet Union
ended and brought them to this point, where workers could refuse to do
what they were told.

"We don't need to panic," said Rascolo, the Minister of Industry and
Labor. "There have been some incidents of violence but as of yet
nothing major reported."

"I am not one to panic Mikhail," replied Nemerenko with a shrug. "And
its not as if the oil workers are striking over nothing. Russia is
become richer and more economically developed, it should only be fair
that those who toil in our most important industry share in that
wealth. I want you to personally travel to Vladivostok and negotiate
with the oil worker's union. We are willing to offer them better pay,
full medical benefits for themselves and their immediate family
members, standard work hours and vacation time, as well as enforcement
of safety standards and regulations on par with the West. You know,
standard union stuff."

"You know that the opposition will latch onto this if it goes poorly,"
remarked Yevgeni. "Especially the Communists." Because the old CPSU
was alive and well, albeit in a new incarnation known as the Communist
Party of the Russian Federation, serving as one of the two major
opponents to Nemerenko's Democratic Party in the Assembly.  "Poor,
toiling workers is what they live for."

"The very reason we are moving onto this issue right away and why I am
sending the Minister of Industry and Labor himself to present our very
generous offer," noted the President. "As our economy grows our labor
standards must be on par with the rest of the world. It's time to stop
thinking of Russia as a lower-end Second World nation and start to act
like a First World nation. And the fair treatment of, ah, what do the
Americans say? Blue collar workers? Yes, the fair treatment of blue
collar workers and better labor standards are a fundamental for a
modern economic model." He regarded Rascolo. "Make sure the union
workers understand that. But also make them understand that while we
recognize their right to strike, as a modern free market democracy
should, violence will not be looked upon kindly."
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Actions:
1) Mikhail Roscolo, MInister of Industry and Labor, will personally
travel to Vladivostok to negotiate with the striking oil workers.
2) Offer the union pay competitive with Western oil workers, medical
coverage for them and their immediate family, standard work hours,
vacation time and better, more strictly enforced safety standards.
3) The government will begin a program to improve general labor
standards throughout Russia
4) Inform union leaders that while Moscow recognizes their right to
strike, violence will not be tolerated.