Support Independent Russian Auto Union

This action has expired

Auto workers at the Avto VAZ plant in Togliatti, Russia continue to demand living wages despite their company’s refusal to negotiate and meet the workers’ demands. The independent trade union, Yedinstvo, is calling for all workers in the Avto VAZ plant to pressure top managers of Avto VAZ to raise the minimum monthly pay from 8,000 rubles ($325) to 25,000 rubles ($980) a month to meet monthly wage standards for the region set by the Samara provincial legislature during local elections.

The Avto VAZ plant is the largest auto manufacturing plant in Russia, employing over 112,000 workers in three workshops in the plant. On August 1, workers at Avto VAZ called a strike in response to having received no reply from the company regarding their demands. The union called an end to the strike on August 1 after four hours of striking at several Avto VAZ shops.

The President of Avto VAZ has not yet met with union representatives for negotiations. The workers continue to struggle for their demands to be met, and as a result many have faced mass layoffs, firings, and cuts in social benefits. Join Russian and other international unions in solidarity with the Avto VAZ workers by sending letters to the President and Chairman of the Council of Directors of Avto VAZ, urging them to meet the workers’ demands for fair negotiations and living wages.

Letters can be faxed to V.V. Artyakov, President , Group Avto VAZ, at 7-8482-75-72-74 (in Togliatti) or 7-0495-970-11-00 (in Moscow). Faxes can also be sent to S.V. Chemezov, Chairman of the Council of Directors, Avto VAZ, at 7-495-964-83-11.