Trade Union of Healthcare Workers of the Russian Federation

The Trade Union of Healthcare Workers of the Russian Federation (Russian: Профессиональный союз работников здравоохранения Российской Федерации, commonly shortened to Профсоюз работников здравоохранения РФ or Роспрофздрав) is one of the largest sectoral trade unions in Russia. It is a voluntary, public, self-governing, non-commercial membership organization that unites workers bound by common social-labour and professional interests in medical, pharmaceutical, sanitary-epidemiological and sanatorium-resort organizations, research institutes and other institutions, regardless of their legal form or ownership. It also represents individual entrepreneurs directly engaged in medical activity, as well as workers and students in higher and secondary vocational education institutions. The union operates nationwide, with an all-Russian status covering 84 of Russia's 89 federal subjects. Its structure is built on a production-territorial principle and includes more than 7,000 primary trade union organizations and 81 regional and interregional organizations. According to the union's own figures, it has more than 2 million members, more than 240 territorial organizations, over 7,000 collective agreements and more than 730,000 young members under 35. Russian Wikipedia reported a membership of about 3 million people as of early 2015. The union's core mission is to represent and defend the individual and collective social-labour, professional, economic and other rights and interests of medical workers. It is independent of executive authorities, local self-government, employers, political parties and other public associations, and builds its relationships on the principles of social partnership, dialogue and cooperation. It is a member organization of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR), the International Confederation of Trade Unions of Healthcare Workers, Public Services International, the Association of Trade Unions of Non-Production Sphere Workers of the Russian Federation, and the European Federation of Public Service Unions. The union was registered by the Russian Ministry of Justice on 5 June 1991, following the reform of Russian trade unions at the start of the 1990s. From its creation until 2021 it was led by Mikhail Mikhailovich Kuzmenko. At its VI Congress on 20–21 May 2015, Kuzmenko was re-elected, the charter was amended and the name was changed to "All-Russian Trade Union of Healthcare Workers" (abbreviated "Rosprofzdrav"). At its VII Congress on 21–22 April 2021, Anatoly Ivanovich Domnikov, previously head of the Moscow regional organization, was elected chairman. The union continues to adapt its structures to the administrative and economic reforms taking place in Russian healthcare.

The history of trade union organizing among Russian medical workers goes back to the early 19th century. The earliest forms of such associations were public organizations, medico-pharmaceutical trusteeships and scientific medical societies. In 1804, the Society for the Competition of Medical and Physical Sciences was created at Moscow University; in 1818 the St. Petersburg Pharmaceutical Society was organized; and in 1833 the Society of Russian Physicians in St. Petersburg began its activity. Within these organizations, doctors and pharmacists sought to address, above all, problems of scientific cooperation and the protection of narrow corporate interests. Among feldshers, pharmaceutical employees and other categories of middle medical personnel (whose irregular, extremely heavy work was valued at 120 to 600 rubles a year, while the subsistence minimum at the time was about 560 rubles, and a doctor earned about 2,000 rubles a year), organizations emerged in the second half of the 19th century that later became the basis for permanent trade union organizations. In 1905, participants in a general meeting of pharmaceutical employees decided to create a Union of Pharmacists to protect their professional rights and interests, and it was decided that only employees could be members of the union. Later, supporters of unity in the trade union movement held the first conference of representatives of the then-existing trade unions of medical workers in September 1918. Its participants concluded that medics of all professions and all directions needed to unite within a single union. It was proposed to develop a single charter that would meet all the requirements for the charters of proletarian trade unions. With the beginning of the 1990s, the reform of Russian trade unions began, and a Russian sectoral trade union was created — the trade union of healthcare workers of the RSFSR. Subsequently, in connection with the renaming of the RSFSR to the Russian Federation, it was renamed the Professional Union of Healthcare Workers of the Russian Federation. The Russian Ministry of Justice adopted the decision on state registration of the union on 5 June 1991. From the creation of the union until 2021, it was headed by Mikhail Mikhailovich Kuzmenko. On 20–21 May 2015, the VI Congress of the union took place. At it, union chairman Mikhail Kuzmenko was re-elected, amendments were made to the union's charter, and the name was changed to "All-Russian Trade Union of Healthcare Workers" (abbreviated "Rosprofzdrav"). On 21–22 April 2021, the VII Congress of the union took place. At it, Anatoly Ivanovich Domnikov, who had previously headed the Moscow regional organization of the union, was elected chairman of the union. The union's main goal is the representation and defence of the individual and collective social-labour, professional, economic and other rights and interests of medical workers. In its activity the union is independent of executive authorities, local self-government bodies, employers, political parties and other public associations, and builds its relationships with them on the basis of social partnership, dialogue and cooperation. The union is a member organization of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, the International Confederation of Trade Unions of Healthcare Workers, Public Services International, the Association of Trade Unions of Non-Production Sphere Workers of the Russian Federation, and the European Federation of Public Service Unions.

• 2021

  VII Congress held on 21–22 April; Anatoly Domnikov elected chairman.

• 2015

  VI Congress held on 20–21 May; Kuzmenko re-elected, charter amended, name changed to 'All-Russian Trade Union of Healthcare Workers' (Rosprofzdrav).

• 1991

  Russian Ministry of Justice adopted decision on state registration of the union on 5 June; Mikhail Kuzmenko became chairman.

• 1918

  First conference of representatives of existing trade unions of medical workers held in September; participants called for a single union.

• 1905

  General meeting of pharmaceutical employees decided to create a Union of Pharmacists.

• 1833

  Society of Russian Physicians in St. Petersburg began activity.

• 1818

  St. Petersburg Pharmaceutical Society organized.

• 1804

  Society for the Competition of Medical and Physical Sciences created at Moscow University, an early form of medical association.

One of Russia's largest sectoral trade unions, positioning itself as the collective voice and defender of healthcare workers nationwide.

• Trade union membership

  Voluntary membership for healthcare workers, students and individual entrepreneurs in medical activity.

• Collective bargaining and collective agreements

  Negotiation and conclusion of collective agreements with employers to guarantee workers' rights.

• Legal and social protection

  Representation and defence of individual and collective social-labour, professional, economic and other rights.

• Youth programs

  Forums and programs for young healthcare workers, including the 'Trade Union! Team! Leader!' forum.

1. 1Профсоюз работников здравоохранения РФ — official websiteprzrf.ru
2. 2История профсоюзаprzrf.ru
3. 3О Профсоюзеprzrf.ru
4. 4Как вступить в Профсоюзprzrf.ru
5. 5Wikidata: Trade Union of Healthcare Workers of the Russian Federationwikidata.org
6. 6Профсоюз работников здравоохранения РФ — Russian Wikipediaru.wikipedia.org