On Monday, April 28, in Astana, the two-day International Exhibition-Forum “Safe Labor: New Challenges and Digital Solutions” began, dedicated to World Day for Safety and Health at Work. As part of the event, an off-site extended meeting of the Republican Tripartite Commission (RTC) on Social Partnership and Regulation of Social and Labor Relations was held. The meeting was moderated by Deputy Prime Minister Yerlan Kosherbayev. The event was attended by international experts, leaders of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the National Confederation of Employers “PARYZ,” and national trade union associations. The position of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK) was presented by Deputy Chairman Nurlan Uteshev.
During the discussion of the RTC agenda item on ensuring safe working conditions, specific data were presented on occupational injuries in Kazakhstan and globally.
According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, measures implemented jointly with social partners have led to a 6.3% reduction in workplace injuries and a 2.9% decrease in fatalities over the past five years. In 2024, 1,408 people were injured at work in Kazakhstan, a 4.5% decrease compared to 2023 (1,474 people). The number of fatalities amounted to 202, which is 19.5% less than in 2023 (251 people). By sector, the highest number of injuries occurred in the mining and metallurgical industry (18%), the construction sector (10%), and the oil and gas sector (4%). However, data from the International Labour Organization highlight the persistence of major global challenges in labor safety, with around 270 million occupational accidents and 160 million work-related diseases recorded annually, resulting in more than 2 million deaths.
In his remarks, Deputy Chairman of FTURK Nurlan Uteshev emphasized that labor safety is a matter of national importance and security. He also outlined a number of proposals.
“Production councils play a key role in ensuring labor safety. Their number increased by 3% compared to last year and now stands at 11,200. However, we need to expand their presence in high-risk industries. The Federation of Trade Unions proposes the following: restore the authority of state labor inspectors to conduct unscheduled inspections without prior notice; utilize the potential of union technical inspectors to support state labor inspectors; and legally grant additional powers to union technical inspectors to ensure effective public oversight of occupational health standards. We need not just to expand the powers of technical inspectors but to give them additional functions that would enhance their ability to influence employers in providing safe working conditions,” stated Uteshev.
According to monitoring by the Federation, 1,162 workplace accidents were recorded in 2024 (compared to 1,236 in 2023). Nevertheless, the level of fatal injuries remains high—one worker dies every two days, far exceeding figures seen in developed countries.
As practice shows, production councils significantly contribute to safety. Their number has grown to 11,200—a 3% increase from last year. However, more focus is needed on high-risk industries. Union technical inspectors also play a vital role. In 2024, 16,935 inspectors conducted over 111,000 inspections, identified 142,236 violations, issued more than 50,000 recommendations for improving working conditions, and halted 1,098 operations. As a result, workplaces with union presence saw a 15% reduction in accidents (from 422 in 2023 to 360 in 2024). Notably, 69% of all accidents occurred at non-unionized enterprises, emphasizing the need for stronger public oversight.
On the second agenda item—addressing labor shortages and implementing measures for the Year of Skilled Trades—Deputy Chairman Uteshev reiterated the importance of this initiative for the economy and society.
“2025 was declared the Year of Skilled Trades in Kazakhstan. This initiative by the President positively impacted the lives of about 2 million members of our Federation. A key feature is that workers began to feel hope for support from both authorities and employers. A week after the President’s Address, FTURK organized the International Youth Forum on Skilled Trades. Held on October 8–9, 2024, in Astana, the forum brought together young workers and professionals from 28 sectors. To improve the social image of the real economy, it is essential to change the public perception of skilled trades through integrated socio-professional projects and align vocational education with the needs of industrial enterprises,” said Uteshev.
He cited dual education as a practical solution, where both employers and students benefit. For example, graduates of the Turkestan Industrial Technical College named after Yerkanat Tanirbergenov are directly employed by the bus fleet company “Zholaushy” thanks to this model.
Regarding the progress in concluding sectoral agreements on social partnership, Uteshev elaborated on the status of existing agreements and shared FTURK’s vision. As of April 28, 2025, 22 sectoral agreements were active within FTURK’s member organizations.
“To further develop social partnership at the sectoral level, we propose the following: include mandatory provisions in agreements aligned with the Labor Code; update agreement durations to avoid discrepancies between start and end dates; ensure consistency with the General Agreement regarding sectoral social partnership; address the application of industry-specific adjustment coefficients in more detail; and define unified procedures for compensating workers engaged in heavy, hazardous, or harmful labor,” Uteshev listed.
RTC participants unanimously agreed that to maintain safe and healthy workplaces, social partners must continue implementing comprehensive measures in line with the Safe Labor Concept until 2030, strengthen cooperation on partnership agreements, and monitor compliance with labor legislation.
Media Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan