The trade Union of the RAS reported that in mid-September, must go campaign “all-Russian week of the protests of scientists. It is directed against plans by the Cabinet of Dmitry Medvedev the further reduction of financing of science and education.
“Non-capital” science is ready, apparently, to the greater activity than scientists from Moscow and St. Petersburg. So, scientists of Nizhny Novgorod, Ufa, Vladivostok, Tomsk has already supported all the demands of the trade Union of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Supporters of the capital stock was declared by the staff of Chernogolovka and Pushchino research centers.
The initiators of the protest does not agree with the position of the Ministry of education and with the actions of the Finance Ministry, which cut the appropriation for major state program “Development of education” and “Development of science and technology.” The sword of Damocles optimization may hang over the scientists of the whole country by 2019, the army of the unemployed can fill up more than 10.3 thousand scientific employees of various higher education institutions including Russian Academy of Sciences and the Kurchatov Institute.
Recall that the meeting in the government on this “optimization” was chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on July 29. The very concept of “scientific and educational sequester” the government approved on 7 July. And soon after that, the head of the Ministry of education Dmitry Livanov was set to resign.
Among the items on the claims of the trade Union of the RAS — immediate rejection of the sequestration of spending on science in the current year, the funds necessary to conduct basic research at the level not lower than 0,22% of the GDP, flawless execution of the presidential decree on increasing the share of domestic expenditure on research and development to 1.77% of GDP.
Action, as stressed by its steering Committee, open to all. The event organizers were additionally invited to Express solidarity with the protesters, representatives of the Ministry of education, Federal Agency of scientific organizations, current MPs and candidates in deputies of the State Duma.
— I worked at the Academy of Sciences for 15 years, and the problems of the scientific community I know not by hearsay, — says the inspector General of the labor Union of trade unions of Russia (CBR) Sergei Khramov. — I can tell you, that the Union of wounds is not included organizationally in our Union, but if his representatives will do any treatment, we will give him all necessary advice and organizational support.
“SP”: — your observations, as far as the Russian scientists as a social group — is able to truly defend their labour and other rights?
Unfortunately, society today in General (and scientists are no exception) is not configured to protect their legal rights. And it happens because life has become very risky in economic terms is extremely unstable. Everyone is afraid of losing your job, involuntarily producing a paradigm for action, which main goal is to survive. Therefore, decreases the willingness of an individual employee, or group of people, for collective solidarity in the protest.
“SP”: — That is, it is not because intelligent people from scientific institutions avoid having to enter the area, and those miners are potentially ready, as in the mid-90s, to go with only the call of their Union leaders to Humpback bridge near the government building and pounding on the pavement helmets?
— Now both the miners and the builders and other representatives of working professions is much less than two decades ago, decided on similar steps; and the reason for that fundamental right.
Here six years ago the London underground was on strike. There were 26 thousand people, the administration intended to cut 800 of them.
In response, all of the subway of the British capital went on strike. A requirement that the administration was forced to carry out: to reduce is not subjected to any expert. And in Russia we have rules, let’s face it, one motivation — “well, not me cut, okay.” And then, when comes the day of dismissal, no solidary forms of self-organization is not able to help the person, for the simple reason that they simply do not.
Now I am engaged in protection of employees of Scientific research Institute of space device engineering. There took and cut an entire Department numbering nearly 100 people. And did it only because, as it turned out, the division organized a Union. Moreover, the organization of the Institute – not the poor receiving good orders, however, the authorities went to this absolutely economically and especially socially unreasonable measure. I think that another nepovadno was “stick out.”
“SP”: — In your opinion, the role of the Federation headed by Shmakov in such a real, not ostentatious, timed to the may day actions, somehow visible?
— I wouldn’t say that the role and functions of the Federation of independent trade unions only for the festive demonstrations in the Central streets of Moscow with flags and balloons. Mikhail Shmakov meets regularly with the President, discussing with him the specific protection of workers ‘ rights. About their relationship to the troubles of the Russian Academy of Sciences — Yes, the Central trade Union newspaper “Solidarity” regularly publishes materials in support of the requirements of the RAS. But the unions Shmakov actually declare for many years right slogans, but never anything real in their implementation will not do. They are too burdened with his giant property. And it is clear that any noticeable performance would inevitably lead to the formulation of the question above — about the legality of owning FITUR this property.
— More than relevant and the fact of such a step, which decided the Union of wounds, and topical the requirements he puts forward that expresses the opinion of the chief researcher, Institute of agrarian problems of RAS, doctor of economic Sciences, Professor Sergey Semenov. — Especially close to the theses of the trade Union of scientists working in the periphery, away from the two Russian capitals. There is a cut not only funding. There is a reduction in the unique personnel of academic institutions gained over the years. Common place was the fact that employees are increasingly again, as in 90-e years, — began to send on unpaid leave, transfer of 15 bets 14 bets. Here I am — the main scientific employee of the Institute; and I recently, for example, was transferred on half-pay. Another chief scientific officer of the Institute, Professor Rudolf Kutenkov, also moved into this category, and this state lasts for him.
“SP”: – How the acute shortage of funds affects the progress and results of scientific research?
— High scientific level of the research conducted is not in harmony, to put it mildly, with the amount allocated for their provision of monetary allocations — judge again for the institution where I work. And money — and this directly concerns and other institutions require the same publication abroad of scientific works. Just to publish one research paper in neighboring Ukraine (not to mention more distant countries), it is necessary to pay 10 thousand rubles. Similarly — as in “dashing” years, no opportunities for scientists to serve on a business trip. And how can really exist Institute of agrarian problems, the staff leave (not their fault, of course) to the fields to farm, experimental station, just in towns and district centres? Reduce even drivers, so to go to expedition impossible, even in steppe Zavolzhye. Not to mention the fact that to go to the meeting with the agrarians of Canada, for example (which was, incidentally, quite possible in the USSR).
Also I can not speak about the troubles of our colleagues from unique in Russia, specializing in drought-resistant crops, research Institute for agriculture of the Southeast. Its history goes back 105 years. And here in the twenty-first century, it almost dies. He has taken all the land, excellent soil, which for centuries has been successfully tested for breeding research. Now the land is for building houses and entertainment centers. That is the theme money is, as we see; and on scientific support for food security of a huge country — no.
