Strikes in the Soviet industry during the first five-year plan (based on OGPU information summaries and reviews)

The article analyzes the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the strikes of industrial workers at state enterprises in the USSR during the First Five-Year Plan (based on the information summaries OGPU). The author draws their comparison with the same characteristics of strikes in pre-revolutionary Russia. During the implementation of the first five-year plan the strike movement has been more active than during the pre-revolutionary Russian industrialization. In addition, it had a significant difference compared to the strikes of the late XIX - early XX centuries: 1) strikes at the turn of 1920/1930 were less lengthy; 2) seasonal workers showed the highest activity, which was explained by the heavier conditions of their work and life. At the same time, as well as on previous stages (beginning of XX century, the period of the NEP) the major cause of strikes during the First Five-Year Plan was dissatisfaction of the wages and food supply.