Page:Trade Unions in Soviet Russia - I.L.P. (1920).djvu/93



After the February Revolution more than 15 art unions were created in Russia. These unions were independent and in no way connected with each other. (1) The National Union of Musical Art Workers. (2) The National Union of Actors. (3) The National Union of Scenic and Arena Artists. (4) Union of Circus Actors. 5) Union of Kino Workers. (6) Union of Actors of the private ballet. (7) Union of Stage Workers (theatrical hair-dressers, scene shifters, dress makers, etc.). (8) Union of Stage Employees (cloak-room attendants, wardrobe keepers, etc.). (9) Union of Photographic Workers. (10) Union of Painters. (11) Union of Artists of the New Art. (12) Union of Sculptors. (13) Union of Artists of Applied Arts and Art Industries. (14) Union of Engravers. (15) Union of Architects. (16) Union of Composers, etc.

All these above mentioned narrow-corporative and craft Unions were never of great importance. Actors in a theatre entered one Union, orchestra players joined another, stage workmen a third, etc. All these unions issued different instructions—and it is not to be wondered at that since the revolution the Art Workers decided to create one large Union, which was finally formed in the beginning of 1919. At the present moment the All-Russia Union of Art Workers unites workers in all branches of art and enters with equal rights into the family of proletarian unions, headed by the All-Russia Central Council of Trade Unions. All these above mentioned Unions joined hands and formed one big Union of Art workers including all actors of the drama, opera, ballet, cinematograph, circus and music hall: managers, balletmasters, music conductors, composers, dramatists and authors of cinematographic scenarios, musicians (including those in the Red Army and the fleet), chorus singers (including church and synagogue choristers, chapel masters, organ players, etc.)., cinematographic operators, acrobats, clowns, circus riders, and riding masters, trainers, athletes, wrestlers, gymnasts, couplet singers and other music-hall actors; theatre artists (scene painters, property men, etc.) as well as image painters, photographers, workers in the kino-ateliers,