Precarization Processes: Studying Military Personnel in the South Russia

The paper analyzes the influence of precarization processes on the professional positions of servicemen in southern Russian cities. An assessment of the financial situation, the dynamics of workload and administrative burdens, social guarantee and risks in the sphere of professional military service are examined on the basis of a sociological survey and in-depth interviews of servicemen from Rostov-on-Don and Novocherkassk (standardized interviewing of 436 military personnel and 16 in-depth interviews). This study was financially supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation № 16-18-10306. Authors conclude, that precarization processes partially influence on the sphere of military service. In times of the Russian economic crisis servicemen's financial situation has worsened. Most of the military personnel in two southern Russian cities report an increase in workload and administrative burdens in recent years. From one-third to three-fourths of respondents are very concerned with the risks of job loss, increase in official duties without rising wages, and the size of monetary allowances. At the same time, the interviewed servicemen are mainly oriented towards social guarantees and benefits that the state provides them. An irregular working day, non-staff activities, restriction of communication and mobility rights, dangerous working conditions, etc. are considered by military personnel as a trait of their professional activities. Therefore, many servicemen are more likely to appeal to a higher-ranked army command, but not to protect their social and labor rights comprehensively.