Trade unions of Kazakhstan and Japan outlined key areas of cooperation

As part of a working trip to Japan, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan Satybaldy Dauletalin met with the President of the Japanese Confederation of Trade Unions (RENGO) Tomoko Yoshino.

The heads of the two largest trade union associations of Kazakhstan and Japan discussed the prospects for the development of cooperation in relevant areas of trade union activity.

During the talks it was noted that one of the important areas of cooperation is the movement for peace. In this direction, the interlocutors agreed to hold joint actions in the cities of Semey and Hiroshima, symbolizing the desire for peace and preventing the repetition of tragedies of the past.

“The peace movement is one of the key priorities of the trade union movement worldwide. We must do everything we can to prevent a repetition of horrific events like the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Joint actions in our twin cities will be an important contribution to this noble cause,” Satybaldy Dauletalin emphasized.

In addition, the parties agreed to continue to strengthen and develop mutual cooperation in training and professional development of trade unionists.

As stressed by the Chairman of the FTURK , the exchange of experience and best practices in this area will improve the effectiveness of trade union organizations of both countries.

Trade union leaders of Kazakhstan and Japan also exchanged information on the activities of national trade union centers, noting examples of successful work.

Special attention during the conversation was paid to the practice of Japanese trade unions on the issues of improving the remuneration of workers, as well as the prevention and resolution of labor conflicts.

“The annual spring negotiations between trade unions and business organizations in Japan are aimed at working out the optimal size of wage increases.” This practice, which originated in the 1950s and was called workers’ spring offensives (‘shunto’), has proven to be effective in finding mutually beneficial solutions,” Tomoko Yoshino shared her experience.

In turn, Satybaldy Dauletalin highly appreciated the achievements of Japanese trade unions in building an effective social dialog. He expressed confidence that the experience of RENGO will be useful for further development of social partnership in Kazakhstan.

“It is necessary to maximize the use of this practice of Japanese trade unions in our country. This will allow to build a constructive dialogue between labor and capital, find mutually acceptable solutions in the interests of workers and employers”, – emphasized Satybaldy Dauletalin.

Summarizing the results of the meeting, the parties expressed confidence that this meeting was another confirmation of the commitment of the parties to further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation in the interests of workers of both countries.

During his visit to Japan, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan Satybaldy Dauletalin also met with the President of the Japan International Labor Fund (JILAF) Yasunobu Aihara.

During the negotiations the parties discussed the current state of cooperation and outlined promising plans for further strengthening of partnership relations. Special attention was paid to the issue of organization of JILAF training program in Kazakhstan.

Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan noted the special significance of the JILAF training program, emphasizing its important role in improving the qualifications and professional skills of Kazakh trade union personnel.

“The JILAF training program has proven to be an effective tool for the development of labor relations and protection of workers’ rights. We highly appreciate this cooperation and invite JILAF President Yasunobu Aihara to visit Kazakhstan to further strengthen our partnership”, – emphasized Satybaldy Dauletalin.

In turn, JILAF President Yasunobu Aihara expressed his gratitude for the constructive dialog and the invitation of the trade union leader of Kazakhstan to visit the country.

“We highly appreciate the established trusting relationship with the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan. Our joint work on the implementation of training programs is an important contribution to the development of human resources and strengthening social partnership. We are ready to continue to actively contribute to this process”, – said the President of JILAF.

The parties agreed that this meeting was an important step in developing fruitful cooperation and increasing the level of protection of rights and interests of workers in Kazakhstan and Japan.

Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan