Labor Discipline Strengthened
Council of People's Commissars, On the Consolidation of Labor Discipline, Improvement of the Practice of Social Security, and Suppression of Abuses in this Field. December 28, 1938
Excerpts.
Original Source: Izvestiia, 29 December 1938.
The USSR Council of People's Commissars, the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolshevik) and the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions resolve:
- To oblige the managements of enterprises and establishments (offices) along with trade-union organs to lead a determined struggle against all violators of labor discipline and internal labor regulations, against shirkers, idlers, and self-seekers -against all who have a dishonest attitude toward their labor obligations, be they workers (wage-earners) or employees (salaried workers).
The law requires the dismissal of a worker or employee for absence without sufficient reason. This measure is directed against parasites who do not want to work but try to live at the expense of the state, at the expense of the people. The requirements of the law regarding the dismissal of slackers should be carried out without fail.
The eight-, seven-, and six-hour day, depending on the conditions of the job, is established by law and accepted by the working class. In addition, the overwhelming majority of workers have a seven-hour working day. The state demands, and the working class supports the' requirement, that the duration of the working day, established by law, be observed precisely and without any violations; that where the six-, seven-, and eight-hour day is prescribed, work should be carried out in full conformity with the law, namely, a full six-, seven-, or eight-hour day. Tardiness, early departure for and late return from lunch, leaving work before the scheduled time, and also loafing on the job -all these constitute a rude violation of labor discipline, and a violation of the law, which undermines the economic and defensive might of the country, and the well-being of the people.
A worker or employee coming late to work without sufficient reason, or leaving early for lunch or returning too late, or leaving the enterprise or establishment before the scheduled time, or loafing during working hours, is subject to administrative penalties: reproof or reprimand, reprimand with a warning of dismissal, transfer to another, lower-paying job for a period up to three months, or demotion to a lower-grade job.
A worker or employee committing three such infractions in one month or four infractions in two consecutive months is subject to dismissal as a shirker and violator of labor law and labor discipline.
To establish that managers of enterprises, establishments, workshops and sections are subject to dismissal and penal prosecution if they do not promote measures for strengthening labor discipline or avoid taking measures against shirkers, idlers and self-seekers in conformity with the present decree and the decree Of 15 November 1932 of the Central Executive Committee and the USSR Council of People's Commissars, 'Respecting Dismissal for Absence Without Sufficient Reason' (Collection of Laws, USSR, 1932, No. 78, Article 475).
Workers and employees desiring to leave their jobs are obliged to give one month's notice to the management of the enterprise or establishment.
In a case when a worker or employee is dismissed for inadequate reasons, remuneration for his enforced absence is calculated at the rate of the average wage earned, but not for more than twenty days, and the managements of enterprises and establishments, factory committees, local trade-union committees, and the Appraisement and Conflict Commissions are obliged to examine complaints of illegal discharge within three days from the day the complaint was lodged, and the legal organs, within five days.
Workers and employees -members of trade unions-who are temporarily incapacitated, are entitled to compensation (not counting compensation for pregnancy and child birth) in the following manner -depending on the length of continuous service in a given enterprise or establishment-
(a) For continuous service in one and 6 years or 100% of the same enterprise or establishment over earnings
(b) For continuous service in one and 3-6 years 80% of the same enterprise or establishment earnings
(c) For continuous service in one and 2-3 years 60% of the same enterprise or establishment earnings
(d) For continuous service in one and the up to 2 50% of same enterprise or establishment years earnings
juveniles, up to eighteen years of age, are entitled to compensation as in Article 5 in the following manner -depending on the length of continuous service in a given enterprise or establishment: continuous work-two years or over-80 per cent of earnings; up to two years-60 per cent of earnings. In addition, time spent in factory-and-workshop training is calculated in the length of service ...
On the basis of Article 31 of the Decree of 17 November 1937 of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, 'Concerning the Preservation of the Housing Fund and Improvement of Housing in Cities' (USSR Laws, 1937, No. 69, Article 314), it is established that workers and employees who are assigned dwelling space in connection with their work in the house of a state enterprise, office, or economic organization (or in a house leased by such enterprises or establishments), are liable to compulsory administrative eviction within ten days, without any living quarters being provided for them, in the event of their departure from the enterprise or establishment, after the promulgation of this resolution, either as a result of voluntary departure or dismissal for violation of labor discipline or committing a crime ...
The right to a normal holiday is granted to workers and employees after eleven months' continuous work in the same enterprise or establishment.
Female workers and female employees, in cases of pregnancy and birth, are granted thirty-five calendar days' leave before the birth of a child and twenty-eight calendar days' leave after the birth besides the established annual leave. Compensation for pregnancy and birth leave is paid at established rates at state expense. The pregnancy and birth leave is granted and compensation paid to those female workers and female employees who have worked continuously in the same enterprise or establishment for at least seven months.
Priority rights to rest homes are granted to those workers and employees who have worked in the same enterprise or establishment for more than two years ...
The present Resolution goes into effect on 1 January 1939.
Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, V. MOLOTOV.
Secretary of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolshevik), J. STALIN. Secretary of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, N. SHVERNIK.
Source: J. Meisel and E. S. Kozera, eds., Materials for the Study of the Soviet System (Ann Arbor: G. Wahr Pub. Co., 1953), pp. 303-309.