The Experience of Working Families in Russia
	Since the beginning of Perestroika through the collapse of the Soviet Union and the building of the present-day Russian Federation, profound social, economic, and political transitions have reshaped individual and family lives in Russia. Perestroika and the transition to a market economy have increased personal freedom and diversified the economy. However, with privatization and the relaxation of government controls, the reach of Russia’s system of social protection has likewise diminished. The costs of living have been soaring, and some workers in Russia face a choice between very low paying though relatively secure and family-accommodating jobs in public organizations and jobs in the largely unregulated private sector, which offer higher pay at the cost of longer hours and fewer workers’ benefits. In addition to changes in labor practices, social supports such as subsidized child care programs, subsidized education through the tertiary levels and subsidized healthcare, which were once available to all citizens, have been reduced or eliminated. Russia’s transition to a market economy has seen a sharp decline in the standards of living and widened income inequality. Health conditions have deteriorated in Russia. New cases of HIV/AIDS in Russia have almost doubled since 1998, and the incidence of tuberculosis tripled between 1991 and 2000. Children’s health has likewise declined, as the rates of illness and disease have grown. We interviewed families in Moscow to learn how the political, economic, and social transitions of the past decade have affected the ability of adults to simultaneously get and keep jobs while also caring for children and adult family members in need. For more information, please see: Heymann SJ. Forgotten Families: Ending the Growing Crisis Confronting Children and Working Parents in the Global Economy. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Heymann SJ, Fischer A, and Engelman M. Labor Conditions and the Health of Children, Elderly and Disabled Family Members. In: Heymann SJ, ed. Global Inequalities at Work: Work’s Impact on the Health of Individuals, Families, and Societies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Back to In-Depth Interviews
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