On January 24, in Almaty, a regional meeting of territorial associations of trade unions of the city of Almaty and Pavlodar region was held on the results of activities for 2018. The meeting was attended by the chairman of the territorial association of trade unions of the city of Almaty Z. Umirbaeva, the chairman of the territorial association of trade unions of the Pavlodar region D. Aytzhanova, the chairmen of branches of industry, local trade unions and primary trade union organizations of the city of Almaty and Pavlodar region, “the development of our relations, the exchange of mechanisms to protect the rights of workers indicate that our territorial associations, having common traditions, ideals, and prospects for social and economic progress, more easily can achieve unified approach in solving the problems which are under consideration,” Z. Umirbaeva noticed opening the meeting of territorial associations.
The speaker focused on the work of the Conciliation Center «TATULASU ORTALYGY», opened in August 2018 at the TOП of the Trade Union Center of Almaty. From the moment of functioning of «TATULASU ORTALYGY», over 300 citizens addressed various types of questions to the Center. Signed 42 mediation agreements. She further noted that the trade union center together with the social partners represented by the Government of Almaty and the Chamber of Entrepreneurs focused on such issues as wage increase, collective bargaining, the creation of primary trade union organizations, safety and labour protection, and social partnership. In Almaty, about 97 thousand employees had wages raised. On average, wages for low-paid workers increase to 24%. Also in the city about 400 thousand employees from more than 12 thousand enterprises receive benefits and guarantees through the signing of collective agreements. Only in the last 3.5 months more than 7.4 thousand collective agreements have been concluded in the city. In addition, in 2018, 2 branches of the field “Senim” and “Yntymak” and 60 primary trade union organizations were created, covering about 11 thousand workers. At the same time, the total number of trade union members in Almaty was about 200 thousand people.
Also, over 200 enterprises were surveyed where labour contracts were concluded with more than 960 employees. As Z. Umirbaeva noted in 2019, the protection of the socio-economic interests of workers, as well as the protection of the rights of workers in labour relations will continue. In turn, the chairman of the territorial trade union association “Trade Union Center of Pavlodar Region” D. Aytzhanova noted that currently every third citizen of the region from among the workers is a trade union member (the region’s population is 754 thousand people, employed 394.6 thousand people).
In 2018, first of all, the TOP efforts were aimed at uniting and strengthening trade unions, developing social partnership, training trade union cadres, training their reserves, activities with working women and youth, and actively participating in public and political life. During the reporting period, more than 35 meetings were organized with the primary trade union organizations of labour collectives covering more than 15,000 people. Within the framework of the signed memorandum with the Pavlodar regional court, the work of the Reconciliation Center was organized. From the opening date, 75 citizens appealed to the reconciliation center. In percentage terms, appeals on controversial issues in the labour sphere are 90%, on other legal issues 10%.
The speaker also focused on occupational safety and health issues. According to her, as of December 1, 2018, 6344 enterprises are active in the region, of which 5,737 enterprises have collective bargaining agreements, which is 90.4%. In total, in Pavlodar region 840 production councils have been created, 1223 technical inspectors are active. Also in Pavlodar region there is a decrease in the level of industrial injuries. For the period from January 1, 2018 to the present, the number of accidents was -118, of which 8 were fatal.
Compared to 2017, the number of accidents decreased by 36% (182 in 2017, of which 8 were fatal). According to the State Department “Labour Administration of Pavlodar Region” in 2019, they confirmed their intention to increase wages from January 1, 2019, 159 enterprises, including 20 large, 17 medium and 122 small ones. In 2019, the TОП Pavlodar region plans to continue work on the consolidation and strengthening of trade unions.
- Daumova – Deputy Chairman of the Public Association “Industry Mining and Metallurgical Trade Union“ Kazprofmetall ”, noted that a lot of work is being done to conclude an industry agreement. Today, Kazprofmetall has achieved a great result in the real sector at the level of sectoral committees. When in Astana at the table negotiations, all employers sit down, on the one hand, such as Arsenal Mittal, Kazzinc, Kazchrome, Kazakhmys and others, as well as sectoral committees on the other hand, and each item of the sectoral agreement is agreed, defended and proved its necessity.
Because every clause of the agreement, every guarantee, every privilege is the employer’s money. Our task is to carry out socially significant events at the expense of the company’s profits, and this is possible, also, with a collective agreement of high quality. We are trade unions for the fact that the benefits and guarantees were not at the expense of employee contributions, but at the expense of the employer. After all, on the basis of an already completed, agreed and signed sectoral agreement, the work of our trade union committees in the field to conclude collective agreements at enterprises is simplified.
Nowadays the chairmen of the trade union committees must be psychologists, economists, lawyers in order to be able to prove their point of view before employers. The chairmen of trade union committees in case of accidents at work participate in the commission for its investigation, visit the families of persons in whom the accident occurred. In addition, she noted that a lot of work is done by the women’s commission at the territorial association of trade unions, this is the provision of material assistance, these are the issues of creating safe and comfortable conditions for workers, remuneration, these are youth issues, “Mother’s House” issues in Pavlodar trade unions are responsible for friendly atmosphere in the team.
In his speech, N. Sukhoterin – Chairman of the ПС JSC of «Aksu Ferroalloy Plant TНК «Kazchrome», awarded to the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the state award «Ерен еңбегі үшін» noted that the collective agreement of his enterprise was nominated in the Republican contest Paryz2018. In addition, much is being done at the plant for the improvement and rest of workers, there are 3 recreation centers. One of the problematic issues for many enterprises is the provision of housing for workers, which is safely solved at the plant: they are building housing, only last year 3 houses were handed over, the company participates in all government housing programs.
- Sitdikov told about the work of the trade union organization Branch of the Trade Union “Almaty Electric Stations” of the Public Association “Local Trade Union“ Energy ”. The trade union “AлЭС” conducts regular work in the departments of JSC “AлЭс” on occupational safety and health, organized a review-competition on labour protection, in the production departments are equipped with home appliances for rest and meals.
Since January 1, 2019, the Collective Bargaining Agreement has been amended to improve the social package of employees of AлЭс JSC. This is the indexation of wages of workers by 5% from January 1, 2019 and the provision of material assistance for health improvement when employees take welfare leave in the amount of 4 minimum salary (170,000.0 tenge). V.Sitdikov also noted that the trade union holds sporting and mass events on a regular basis.
In her speech, G.Naurazbayeva, chairman of the PU Pavlodar Regional Organization of Kazakhstan Industry Trade Union of Education and Science Workers, noted that trade unions are the oldest public association, with their goals and forms of work. In Pavlodar region, the work of trade union organizations is effectively carried out within the framework of social partnership , thanks to which 7.5 thousand workers in the field of education and science received real help and support. In addition, traditional work is also developing, related to rehabilitation, as well as encouraging teachers. So, teachers, whose students have achieved excellent results in school, there were 18 of them last year, got the opportunity to visit foreign countries. A regional pedagogical school of trade union leadership has been created, teaching and methodological offices are open in each district center, where trade union skills and members of the Coordination Council are trained. Since last year, the trade union project has been introduced, one of which is the “Trade union leader” project.
The current roadmap for the modernization of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan for 2018–2019 counts on young people. Since 2013, there have been forums of young teachers under the motto “Transformation of education through teacher leadership”, there is a Republican youth summer camp, which is held to identify leadership qualities, educate and shape trade union solidarity and unity among young people. The speaker emphasized that the backbone of the personnel reserve is that part of the youth that has passed through the Youth Councils.
Ablaeva Gulira Kalymtayevna – Chairman of the trade union committee of the Almaty branch of the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions, noticed that the territorial associations and sectoral trade unions have unified Shanyrak – FPRK, and expressed gratitude to the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the idea of holding such regional meetings where trade union activists of the two regions share work experience “After all, all that the trade unions do is done for the“ Labour Person, ”she told.
Summing up the regional meeting, Z. Umirbayeva noted that positive trends have emerged to increase the effectiveness of mechanisms for protecting the basic rights of workers in work relations, as well as socio-economic interests. Undoubtedly, they will not only be preserved, but also developed. In some respects, the formats of such cooperation and exchange of experience are more effective and will provide better protection of the rights of workers in labour relations .