THE EMERGENCE OF TRADE UNIONS OF OREL PROVINCE: A CASE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BOLKHOV UNION OF TANNERS (1905-1919)

The purpose of the article is to study the activities of the Bolkhov Union of Tanners in the context of the emergence of trade unions of Orel province in 1905-1919. The territory of Orel province limits the geo-graphical scope of the study. The research is based on statistical and reference materials, reviews of Orel province, as well as data of the Bolkhov history muse-um archive. A comprehensive analysis of the sources was car-ried out by means of traditional scientific research methods such as system analysis, retrospective meth-od and historical method. The article analyzes the prerequisites for the emergence of the first trade unions of Orel province, identifies the actors of the Bolkhov Union of Tanners. The author notes that the main re-quirements of the trade unions were economic and organizational issues in terms of increasing wages, canceling outhouse work for workers, developing inter-nal regulations and issuing wage and payment books. The trade union paid considerable attention to cultural and educational activities. As a result, the author comes to the conclusion, that the formation and development of the Bolkhov Union of Tanners largely reflects the history of the Trade Union movement in Russia.