On 22 May 2018 the Supreme Court of Russia overruled the decision to dissolve the Interregional Trade Union Workers’ Association (ITUWA).
The decision to dissolve the union was taken by the Saint Petersburg City Court earlier this year due to allegations that the union is involved in politics and receives foreign funds. The law that recognizes civil society organization as the foreign agents in case of receiving foreign funds was introduced in 2012. However, this was the first time that a Russian court applied the law on a trade union.
If implemented, it would have affected the entire Russian trade union movement and ensuring workers’ rights in Russia. The ITUWA appealed to the Russian Supreme Court to rescind the decision. To support this appeal trade unions in Russia and globally provided solidarity and support to the ITUWA in an overall message to the Russian government to respect trade union rights.
“Trade unions are under the attack around the world. Court decision to dissolve the trade union is an extreme dangerous form of attack on worker’s rights and used in many countries as in Russia. In response, unions are fighting back in the courts and on the streets against such attacks. What happened in Russia was a serious threat to fundamental workers’ rights, and only workers united fighting back will protect trade union rights,” said Ambet Yuson, general secretary of the BWI.
ITUWA is affiliated to the Russian Confederation of Labour (KTR), an affiliate of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).