The **Confederation of Revolutionary Anarcho-Syndicalists**
(**KRAS-MAT)** is an
[anarcho-syndicalist](Anarcho-Syndicalism "wikilink") and
[anarcho-communist](Anarcho-Communism "wikilink")
[confederation](confederation "wikilink") that helps organise [trade
unions](Trade_Union "wikilink") in [Russia](Russia "wikilink"). They
were established in
[1995](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Northern_Asia "wikilink")
and has been the Russian section of the [International Workers'
Association](International_Workers'_Association "wikilink") in 1996.

## History

### Background

During [Glasnost and Perestroika](Glasnost_and_Perestroika "wikilink"),
anarchists in the [USSR](USSR "wikilink") began to organise. The
[Confederation of
Anarcho-Syndicalists](Confederation_of_Anarcho-Syndicalists_\(Russia\) "wikilink")
(CAS) was formed in 1989, but was seen as too pro-market, anti-communist
and pacifist. Leading some more militant members to split and form the
KRAS, advocating for revolution and [communism](communism "wikilink").
This was at a conference in Moscow on the 5th of August, 1995, the split
destroyed thTimel

### Actions

The early KRAS determined its main goals were to resist Russia's growing
[neo-fascist](Fascism "wikilink") movement and cooperate with other
progressive institutions in Russia and Eastern Europe to create a
[libertarian socialist](Libertarian_Socialism "wikilink") society.
During a conference in Gomel, [Belarus](Belarus "wikilink"), in 1996,
KRAS joined the [International Workers'
Association](International_Workers'_Association "wikilink").

In 1995, the members of the KRAS in Moscow provided support and
technical assistance for striking teachers in Moscow, as well as
striking workers in the Rostselmash and Yasnogorsky Machine-Building
factories. They also participated in anti-war demonstrations against the
Chechen wars and the war in South Ossetia in 2008. They have also
organised protests against rising prices and protests against
construction in Bolotnaya Square in 2007. In 2009, they protested
outside the Ukrainian embassy in solidarity with anarchists arrested in
Kiev, and late protested outside the Serbian embassy to defend the
[Serbian Six](Serbian_Six "wikilink"). Fascist attemped to infiltrate
the union in 2008, and were expelled.

In 2009, the KRAS-MAT activists took part in the general anarchist
protest rallies, distributed an organizational press. In the fall,
members of the organization, together with other anarchists, organized
and held pickets in support of the Kiev anarchists, the Movchan
brothers, who face up to five years in prison, and Serbian
anarcho-syndicalists from the Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative (ASI), who
face three to fifteen years of prison conclusions on terrorism charges
<sup>\[17\]</sup> . In addition, the KRAS-MAT activists took part in
protest actions against the prosecution of trade union activists,
anarcho-anti-fascist demonstrations and other protest actions
<sup>\[18\]</sup> . In 2009, on the day of the Russian flag, in a number
of places in Moscow, the members of KRAS-MAT pointedly hung red-black
anarcho-syndicalist flags <sup>\[19\]</sup> . In addition, members of
the Confederation provide all possible support to the sections of the
IAM in case of the need, conduct solidarity actions.

In accordance with the organizational principles of the organization
<sup>\[1\], the</sup> members of KRAS-MAT conduct negotiations with a
number of trade union activists in order to create a full-fledged
syndicalist trade union association, the need for which was confirmed at
the 4th congress of KRAS-MAT <sup>\[20\]</sup> .

At the beginning of 2010, a series of actions was held by members of
KRAS-MAT Moscow and the Region against the next increase in transport
prices. Activists and supporters of the Confederation in different
cities continued to distribute the KRAS-MAT printed materials. A series
of pickets was held in Moscow, in particular, in solidarity with the
Ukrainian anarcho-syndicalists from the student union “Direct Action”.

During political protests in connection with elections in Russia in 2011
and 2012. KRAS-MAT advocated the transition from a “purely” political to
social and socio-economic issues <sup>\[21\]</sup> . In the 2010s.
KRAS-MAT members took part in protest actions against the policy of
“cuts” and “optimization” in the spheres of education, health, etc.
During the protests against pension reform in 2018. KRAS-MAT promoted
the slogan of a general strike until the reform was canceled <sup>\[
22\]</sup> .

## Organisation

## Contact

Their website can be found [here](https://aitrus.info/) (in Russian)

## References

<references />