Labor dispute

Labor Dispute
under Soviet law, a dispute between management and employees over labor legislation or working conditions. Labor disputes are resolved through a legally established procedure inaccordance with the Statute on the Procedure for the Settlement of Labor Disputes, which was ratified by an edict of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 20, 1974 (Vedomosti VerkhovnogoSoveta SSSR, 1974, no. 22, art. 325).

Labor disputes are settled by labor disputes boards (LDB’s), factory trade union committees, people’s courts, and higher administrative authorities. The LDB isthe forum of first instance for the overwhelming majority of labor disputes arising between employees and management at enterprises, institutions, and organizations. An LDB is set up at allenterprises, institutions, and organizations having primary trade union organizations. It comprises an equal number of permanent representatives of the factory trade union committee and of management, thenumber being established by agreement. LDB’s may be set up on the shop or departmental level in enterprises where the factory trade union committee has been granted the rights of a district committee.Representatives to LDB’s are selected for a period equal to the term of office of the factory trade union committee. The committee’s representatives are chosen by the committee as a whole; management’srepresentatives are named by the director of the enterprise. At enterprises where there is no factory trade union committee, the LDB comprises the trade union organizer and the director of theenterprise. The decision of the LDB may be appealed by the employee to the factory trade union committee within ten days. If no agreement can be reached between the two sides of the board, the issue can bedecided by the factory trade union committee on application by the interested employee.

City district people’s courts hear labor disputes upon application by employees when the employees disagree...