People — my homeland! Trade unions of Tatarstan — 120 years

      24.09.2025

       This year the Day of Trade Unions of the Republic of Tatarstan was celebrated in an unusual format. The celebration of the 120th anniversary of Tatarstan’s trade unions took place in Kazan’s Victory Park under the main slogan “People – My Motherland.” Indeed, the 120-year history of the trade unions of our republic and of Russia as a whole is a history not only of facts, events and documents, but above all of people. Those who in the distant 1905 stood shoulder to shoulder for the rights of workers. Those who during the Great Patriotic War worked in the fields and workshops for themselves and for the comrade who went to the front. Those who today continue their work, who joined the trade union ranks to protect, create and change life for the better. Today the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Tatarstan remains the largest public association in the republic and the second-largest trade union organization in Russia by membership — after Moscow and the Moscow Region. About 700,000 people — employees of enterprises and organizations in virtually all sectors of the economy, culture, science and education — this is the trade union army of Tatarstan. Trade union leaders and activists from across the republic came to Victory Park in Kazan to congratulate their friend and receive congratulations from colleagues and social partners. It is deeply symbolic that in this year, the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, the trade unions of Tatarstan celebrate their anniversary in a park dedicated to the defenders of the Fatherland, and the festive event itself began with a laying of flowers at the Memorial and a minute of silence at the Eternal Flame. Low clouds, a fine gray drizzle, the honor guard of cadets from the Kazan Tank School frozen like statues, blood-red carnations and tongues of flame rising from a copper-and-granite star. People came with flowers, bowed and laid down bouquets, lingered, left, and were replaced by others. Feelings first experienced in distant childhood only grow stronger with age. Especially when you know that war is near, that it exists today. I would not be exaggerating to say that today's laying of flowers at the Eternal Flame felt somehow special... On behalf of the Rais of Tatarstan, the State Council and the Government of the republic, trade union activists, guests and participants were greeted by the Chairman of the State Council of the RT, Farid Mukhametshin. “We have all gone through and are going through trade union school,” noted the head of the Tatarstan parliament. “Trade unions make a major contribution to the organization of work and rest, they resolve any issues of labor collectives at the highest level... Trade unions provide great assistance to our guys who defend the country and are on the front line. How much humanitarian cargo collected with your help has gone to Donbass! Thank you very much!” Yelena Kuzmicheva, a deputy of the State Council and chairwoman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the RT, congratulated those gathered on the Day of Trade Unions of the Republic of Tatarstan and on the 120th anniversary of the trade union movement. She thanked Tatarstan’s leadership and personally the Rais of the republic for their consistent support of trade union initiatives, for the development of social partnership, and for their care for working people. “Over their more than century-long history, the republic’s trade unions have played a significant role in the development and strengthening of civil society and in protecting the labor rights of working citizens. Fundamental political, economic and social transformations have taken place in the country and the world. The trade unions have gone through this path with dignity and have shown themselves to be a strong, effective structure capable of actively protecting the interests of working people,” said the trade union leader. “I am sincerely grateful to the enterprise management, our directorate, our partners for sitting with us at the same negotiating table to solve pressing issues. I express heartfelt gratitude to our veterans. The success we see today at our enterprises was largely laid down by our veterans.” The solemn event was also attended by and heard words of congratulations and thanks to the trade union activists and to all trade union members from Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation Dmitry Platygin, Deputy Prime Minister of the RT Leila Fazleeva, Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the RT Elmira Zaripova, First Deputy Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the RT Rustem Valiullov, First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the RT Rodion Karpov, and Assistant to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Lieutenant General Vladimir Maistrenko. A common thread ran through all the speeches: over these long 120 years, in a wide range of geopolitical conditions, trade unions have proven their necessity and importance to the country; millions of people have passed through the trade unions — our grandfathers and fathers, whole generations of workers, teachers, doctors, oilmen, builders, cultural figures — all those by whose hands and minds the prosperity of our Motherland was created and strengthened. Trade unions were always at the forefront of solving the most difficult problems — from the country’s industrialization and the labor feats of the first five-year plans to the creation from scratch of the rear front during the Great Patriotic War, which horrified and shattered the war machine of Nazi Germany. And today, in the difficult years of the pandemic, sanctions and the special military operation, trade unions successfully address the most complex tasks. “We see that the trade union movement will never stand aside from the fate of our Motherland,” concluded Leila Fazleeva in her speech. And the Motherland, as many speakers again emphasized today, is not just a territory on a map. It is, above all, people: their fates, their labor, their unity, their mutual assistance and their pursuit of justice. And it is precisely the trade union that has always been and remains the force that unites people, defends their rights and makes our common life better. The trade union is the people themselves, devoted to their work, their country, their republic, their Motherland. The speeches of the honored guests were accompanied by the presentation of government and trade union awards to employees of the republic’s enterprises and organizations, trade union activists and representatives of labor dynasties. The ceremonial part was followed by archival footage recounting milestones in the history of the republic’s trade unions, as well as vocal and choreographic performances. Despite the overcast weather, many spectators watched performances by the best soloists and creative ensembles of Tatarstan. Also in Victory Park today visitors could receive consultations from specialists of the Federation of Trade Unions of Tatarstan on labor relations, occupational safety and the provision of sanatorium-resort services. A photo exhibition called “Working People” was on display in the park, and for the youngest guests there were areas with games, contests and cheerful entertainers. A special part of the festive event was the dispatch of another humanitarian shipment to the zone of the special military operation containing building materials and essential items. “A diesel generator, building materials, potbelly stoves, trench candles, anti-drone blankets, sleeping bags, foodstuffs are being sent to the SMO zone today,” said Yelena Kuzmicheva. “This is our joint contribution, our common support and our charge: return alive, return with Victory! Every box in that truck is a piece of our care and our huge ‘thank you’ for their courage...” The trade union celebration in Victory Park concluded with a concert program headlined by Firdus Tyamaev and the vocal-instrumental ensemble Volga-Volga. Artem Barabanov, photo by the author