As part of the annual session of the International Labour Conference organized by the International Labour Organization in Geneva, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Satybaldy Dauletalin, participated in negotiations with Kazakhstan’s social partners and the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gilbert Houngbo. The parties discussed the prospects for the development of labor relations and social protection in Kazakhstan, as well as issues of further cooperation.
Welcoming the Kazakhstani colleagues, the ILO Director-General emphasized the strategic importance of cooperation with Kazakhstan. He highly appreciated the significant transformations in labor and social protection in Kazakhstan and noted substantial progress in the development of democratic processes in the country.
Gilbert Houngbo focused on strengthening social partnership and ensuring fair working conditions through the adoption of country programs and the implementation of international standards into national legislation.
“The meeting with Kazakhstan’s social partners is an important step towards strengthening cooperation in the field of labor. We support Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve the labor sphere and protect workers’ rights,” noted the head of the international organization.
The Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Satybaldy Dauletalin, expressed gratitude to Gilbert Houngbo for his attention to the improvement of the socio-labor sphere, highlighting the importance of promoting the ideas of the new social contract proclaimed by the ILO.
Satybaldy Dauletalin invited Gilbert Houngbo to visit Kazakhstan to become acquainted with the trade union movement and the progress in promoting decent employment principles in the country.
An important step in protecting the interests of Kazakhstan’s workers, as emphasized by the Chairman of the FTURK, was the signing of the General Agreement for 2024-2026, which outlines the joint commitments of the parties to implement the principles of decent work, including the ratification of nine ILO conventions.
“The General Agreement provides for joint actions to fulfill the conditions and procedures for ratifying the following ILO conventions: No. 102 ‘Social Security (Minimum Standards)’, No. 131 ‘Minimum Wage Fixing, with Special Reference to Developing Countries’, No. 132 ‘Holidays with Pay’, No. 154 ‘Collective Bargaining’, No. 161 ‘Occupational Health Services’, No. 173 ‘Protection of Workers’ Claims in the Event of the Employer’s Insolvency’, No. 176 ‘Safety and Health in Mines’, No. 184 ‘Safety and Health in Agriculture’, and No. 190 ‘Eliminating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work’.
‘Within the framework of the General Agreement, social partners have committed to creating quality jobs that ensure fair wages, social guarantees, access to training and skill enhancement, and safe working conditions. Last year, significant joint efforts were undertaken with all social partnership parties to develop the Concept of Safe Labor in the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2030. We have high hopes that the implementation of the Concept, based on a risk-oriented model, will reduce the level of occupational injuries, the number of occupational safety violations, and the number of jobs with harmful and dangerous working conditions,’ emphasized the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
First Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan, Akmadi Sarbasov, highlighted the quality and effectiveness of social partners’ cooperation in the development of Kazakhstan’s socio-labor sphere. He noted significant progress in implementing ILO Conventions No. 129 ‘Labor Inspection in Agriculture’ and No. 81 ‘Labor Inspection in Industry and Commerce’ in the context of adhering to the international obligations accepted by the country.
According to him, legislative amendments are currently being made in Kazakhstan to transfer the state labor inspection to the jurisdiction of a central government body.
The transfer of the labor inspection from local executive bodies to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan will result in the creation of a separate state labor inspection department, thereby strengthening the control over compliance with labor legislation.
It is worth noting that the issue of transferring the state labor inspection to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has been repeatedly raised by the Federation of Trade Unions in various social partnership forums.
During the meeting, the importance of the forthcoming signing of the Roadmap for Promoting Decent Work in Kazakhstan between the International Labour Organization, the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the National Confederation of Employers ‘Paryz’ was also emphasized.
The participants noted that the adoption of this document will give new impetus to strengthening international cooperation, contribute to the development of social partnership, ensure fair working conditions, social protection, and economic growth.
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan