RABIS

RABIS (Russian: РАБИС) or Sorabis (Russian: Сорабис) — the widespread Trade Union of Art Workers in Bolshevik Russia and later in the Soviet Union, which was formed in May, 1919. The Russian РАБИС and Сорабис are the abbreviations of the Russian phrases "РАботники ИСкусства" (English: "Art Workers") and "СОюз РАботников ИСкусства" (English: "Union of Art Workers"), the two first characters of the words "СОюз", "РАботники" and "ИСкусства" used to add abbreviations.

From 1920 a massive professional organization was formed in Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, which received name Vserabis (Russian: Всерабис) — "ВСЕроссийский профессиональный союз РАботников ИСкусства" (English: "All-Russian Regions Trade Union of Art Workers"). The abbreviations RABIS or Sorabis were used for local and regional Trade Unions and sometimes as short names of "Vserabis".

After the Soviet Union creation, from 1924 the Vserabis (Russian: Всерабис) remained as the abbreviation "ВСЕсоюзный профессиональный союз РАботников ИСкусства" (English: "Soviet Union Trade Union of Art Workers").

Some big cities or regions adjusted the name RABIS to appropriate name of their regions: Petrorabis (Petrograd RABIS);Mosgubrabis (Moscow guberniya RABIS);Gruzrabis (Gruziya RABIS).

RABIS, Sorabis and then Vserabis united all art workers "on the voluntary commencements". The Russian phrase "на добровольных началах" (English: "on the voluntary commencements") includes the sarcasm, which means that each art worker entered in this Trade Union voluntary (voluntary commencement), but the rest of art workers, who leave or had not joined the Trade Union organisation, will have difficulties with job. In this case Russians says: "to join the organisation voluntary-compulsorily" (Russian: "присоединиться к организации добровольно-принудительно").

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