The Chairman of the FTURK and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan discussed topical issues of the social and labor sphere.
On May 8, 2020, the Chairman of the Federation of trade unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan Satybaldу Dauletalin held a working meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Republican trilateral Commission on social partnership and regulation of social and labor relations Yeraly Tugzhanov. The event was also attended by Deputy Chairman of the FTURK Mukhtar Tinikeyev.
The meeting discussed topical issues related to the adoption of measures aimed at reviving the economy, social support for employees, and strengthening labor institutions.
Issues of preserving jobs, preventing deterioration of working conditions, and strengthening control over compliance with labor laws must be addressed primarily within the framework of social partnership, increasing social responsibility of businesses, and implementing industry agreements, collective agreements, and memoranda that have been signed-in all regions with 137 thousand enterprises. The issues of ensuring the labor rights of employees of the South Topar mining Department, Astana-Tazalyk LLP, and others were also considered.
Special attention was paid to strengthening labor protection in the context of the pandemic. It is necessary to assess the risks and ensure that enterprises comply with the strictest occupational safety regulations in advance in order to minimize the risk of infection for employees.
The FTURK Chairman noted that continuous dialogue between trade unions, employers, and the Government is important for protecting workers ‘ health and ensuring their labor rights.
The parties agreed on the need to improve the effectiveness of decisions and activate the work of social partners within the framework of the Republican trilateral Commission (RTC). The Federation of trade unions appealed to the Deputy Prime Minister with a proposal to hold meetings of the RTC in the near future to consider topical issues on the regulation of labor relations. The Chairman of the Federation also suggested reviewing the number of temporary disability benefits (sick leave payments), improving the regulatory framework for the formation of an effective tariff policy that helps reduce disparities in the remuneration system and creating a regulatory framework for social support for employees of natural monopolies working in the electricity sector.
According to the head of the FTURK, prompt and even advanced solution of social issues is “the most real and most effective investment”, as it affects “the General well-being of people and the preservation of social stability in the country.”
The Deputy Prime Minister, in turn, stressed the need to develop a social partnership, expressed readiness to address the issues raised at the RTC site, and further development of the dialogue with trade unions.
The parties stressed their conviction that trade unions are currently the most important institution of civil society, whose activities are aimed at ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of workers.