TRADE UNIONS AND ORGANIZATION SANATORIUM-SPA TREATMENT IN THE USSR (THE MIDDLE OF THE 50’S – THE MIDDLE OF THE 60’S)

Abstract

The Soviet trade unions’ role and place in the organization of sanatorium-and-spa treatment is examined in the article on basis of wide range of historical and statistical sources. The goal of the research is to observe its setup in the scope of the biggest in numbers civic organization as well as the determination of latent implication of their operating. The author proceeds from a primary reference to their extension of powers in the period of «thaw» which is explained by aggravation of political confrontation between its supporters and adherents of orthodox Stalinism. The latter circumstance politicized all the trade unions’ work connected with the problems of social development.The researcher distinguishes two phases of the problem’s development – from 1956 to 1960, when spa resorts and rest homes belonged to jurisdiction of the republicans Ministries of Health; and from 1960 to 1964 when they again returned under the jurisdiction of the trade unions. In the course of the research of the problem attention is paid to participation of trade unions in the process of the distribution of permits for treatment and recreation. It is underlined that this process was simultaneously taking place in two directions – from the bottom to the top and, on the contrary, from the top to the bottom. It is indicated that in the conditions of deficit the activity of primary trade unions turned into an ordinary formality. It is proved that a political component of the abovementioned process during this period of historical development had a defaced character. Still, the quantitative side of the problem and full or partial treatment or recreation costs compensations in the conditions of the political confrontation automatically lead this form of trade unions’ activity to the grade of political. The author stresses the point that by their actions in this field of activity they not only masked the nature of the totalitarian regime, but also, developing the network of spa and health establishments, created an illusion of truth and further humanization of the society. At the same time, it is recognized in the research that thanks to the participation of the trade unions in this process it was possible to create a rather reliable system of sanatorium-and-spa treatment management which positively influenced citizens’ health and at least partially compensated the negative results of the latter.