On Thursday, January 16, Satybaldy Dauletalin, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK) and Vice President of the Pan-European Regional Council (PERC) of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), participated in the first PERC Steering Committee meeting of the year, held via videoconference.
As outlined by PERC President Igor Zubku, the meeting agenda included a review of the organization’s activities over the past year, discussions on the event plan for 2025, and the approval of the current year’s budget.
Summarizing the past year, Igor Zubku congratulated Satybaldy Dauletalin on his election as a member of the ITUC General Council, emphasizing that his full membership is recognition of the Federation of Trade
Unions of Kazakhstan’s contribution to protecting workers’ rights both nationally and internationally. He also noted that this appointment reflects the growing influence of Kazakhstan’s trade unions within the global labor movement.
The PERC Steering Committee reviewed FTURK’s proposal to host the VERS Summer School in Astana, which was accompanied by a presentation video about Kazakhstan. ITUC PERC General Secretary Esther Lynch expressed strong support for the initiative, stating that the proposal was well-structured and would provide trade union leaders from PERC member organizations with an opportunity to gather and discuss the most pressing issues facing the trade union community.
PERC President Igor Zubku highlighted Kazakhstan’s strategic importance as a key partner of the European Union in Central Asia and noted that hosting the VERS Summer School in Astana would be an excellent opportunity to strengthen dialogue between Europe and Central Asia.
Markus Stromayer, Head of the International Department of the Austrian Trade Union Federation, suggested including the topic “Democracy in the Workplace” in the event’s agenda and emphasized that this gathering would offer a unique opportunity to explore Kazakhstan.
After listening to his colleagues, Satybaldy Dauletalin expressed gratitude to the PERC Executive Committee members for their trust.
“VERS Summer School in Astana would provide a platform to further promote decent work principles across Central Asia. The upcoming meeting, he added, would be an excellent opportunity for experience-sharing, addressing pressing labor issues, and formulating effective recommendations for the development of the trade union movement.” – Satybaldy Dauletalin said.
The PERC Steering Committee unanimously approved Kazakhstan’s proposal to host the VERS Summer School in Astana. This event serves as a discussion forum where national trade union leaders and international experts exchange views on workers’ rights protection, the development of social dialogue, and key recommendations for participating countries.
For the first time, this high-level PERC ITUC forum will be held in Central Asia in July this year. The event is expected to welcome representatives from over 50 European countries, as well as experts from the ITUC and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan