On Wednesday, January 15, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FPRK), Satybaldy Dauletalin, held a working meeting with trade union activists of the Abai Region via videoconference.
The Acting Chairman of the Territorial Association of the Abai Region, Doszhan Baikadiev, informed the FPRK leadership about the current activities of the regional Trade Union Center, which coordinates the work of branch trade union affiliates.
According to him, there are currently nine sectoral and eight local trade union branches operating in the Abai Region, bringing together 751 primary trade union organizations with a total of 60,786 trade union members.
“Since the establishment of the Trade Union Center in 2024, 63 new primary trade union organizations have been created. Last year, production councils were established at 11 enterprises in the region. Compared to 2023, fatal workplace injuries have decreased by 66%. In June 2024, a regional agreement was signed between the Akimat of the Abai Region, authorized representatives of employers, and the territorial association of trade unions for the period 2024–2026. At the initiative of the Territorial Association, key provisions were included in the 2024–2026 agreement: payment of a health allowance for all categories of employees, including unskilled workers, in the amount of one month’s salary as part of their annual paid leave; assistance for specialists living in rural areas to purchase fuel and cover utility costs,” – said Doszhan Baikadiev.
The Chairman of the FPRK was also informed about the activities of the sectoral trade union branches by Sabit Ibraev, Chairman of the Kazakhstan Sectoral Trade Union of Education, Science, and Higher Education Workers, and Marat Bekbaev, Chairman of the SENIM Health System Trade Union branch.
Gulsara Baimagambetova, Chairwoman of the Sectoral Trade Union of Forestry and Wildlife Workers, reported issues regarding employees of the “Semey Ormany” Reserve, who have been experiencing delays in promised payments.
After hearing from his colleagues, FPRK Chairman Satybaldy Dauletalin stated that the Federation of Trade Unions would once again take control of the issue of wage payments for forestry workers in the region, just as it did following the large-scale fires in the Semey region in 2023.
Satybaldy Dauletalin summarized the key results of the Federation’s activities over the past year and highlighted several achievements. According to him, due to the direct involvement of the FPRK a methodology for determining the minimum wage was adopted; The “Safe Labor” Concept until 2030 is being implemented; The Roadmap for Decent Work was signed; Social partnership within the framework of the Republican Tripartite Commission is systematically developing.
Continuing the dialogue with colleagues, Satybaldy Dauletalin emphasized the tasks facing trade unions this year.
“The Abai Region is a new region, so trade union activists must make every effort to truly protect workers’ interests. It is necessary to analyze the effectiveness and quality of existing collective agreements in favor of employees. This issue should be considered at the level of the regional tripartite commission for the regulation of social and labor relations. It is also necessary to expand trade union coverage in the region. Experience shows that enterprises with active trade unions have effective collective agreements, fewer workplace injuries, and faster resolution of employee issues, with workers’ rights being professionally protected,” the FPRK Chairman stressed.
Among the tasks for 2025, Satybaldy Dauletalin also highlighted the importance of intensifying the activities of FPRK member organizations during the “Year of Working Professions” to protect the rights and interests of laborers.
“The trade unions must contribute to enhancing the prestige of working professions, strengthening solidarity and unity among ordinary union members. Decent working conditions and fair wages for ordinary workers are a priority for our trade unions,” concluded the FPRK Chairman.
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan