Today, the International Labour Organization held a special online presentation of a project on the contribution of trade unions to the formalization of informal employment for the Federation of Trade Unions and its member organizations.
International expert Harri Taliga presented the report titled “Supporting the Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Adapting to Modern Realities: Addressing Challenges and Transforming Trade Unions Regarding Informal Employment and Platform Work through Assessing and Consulting on Adjusting Their Strategies, Institutional, Organizational, and Internal Regulatory Processes and Services.”
Member organizations of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK), including industry trade unions of transport, construction, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, were involved in the project.
The ILO expert spoke about the trends in the platform economy and its impact on employment forms and labor relations. A detailed overview was also provided regarding the legal foundations for involving workers with non-standard employment relationships in trade unions, recruitment plans of industry trade unions, the protection and services provided by trade unions to their members, and the organizing and recruitment of platform workers.
“The platform economy represents one of the most significant changes brought about by the digitalization of the labor sphere. Its growth has opened new markets for businesses and created new jobs and income opportunities, often offering high flexibility and low barriers to entry for workers. While creating new forms of flexible employment, digital platforms are characterized by low pay, unfair working conditions, and ambiguous employment relationship statuses for those working on them. It is equally important to make every effort to ensure that the platform economy does not exacerbate the decent work deficit. For trade unions, those employed on digital platforms are especially significant as a growing group of potential future members,” the report states.
Participants of the event also reviewed the findings and recommendations of international experts.
Meanwhile, the legalization of informal labor relations has been one of the pressing issues on the agenda of the Federation of Trade Unions in recent years. Significant support in this area is being provided to trade unions by the International Labour Organization.
It is worth recalling that in 2021, the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization, conducted a joint study on the topic: “Defining the Strategy of Actions for Trade Unions in Kazakhstan in Sectors Predominantly Featuring Non-Standard Employment Relationships, Self-Employment, Platform-Based, and Informal Employment.”
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan