On October 3, an extraordinary XXV-th congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana.
More than 200 delegates of sectoral trade unions from all regions of Kazakhstan, as well as more than 20 invited participants and guests attended the congress.
The congress began at 10.00 am metropolitan time. The work of the congress was opened by the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Bakytzhan Abdіrayim, who acquainted the participants with the guests of the congress and the agenda.
In the first part of the congress, presentations by invited participants and congress delegates took place.
The State Secretary of the Republic of Kazakhstan Gulshara Abdykalikova addressed the gathering and announced the Welcome address of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to the participants of the congress.
The head of state emphasized the important role of modern trade unions in the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan.
“Today the Federation of Trade Unions is the largest public organization of the country, uniting about 2 million people. The main mediators between employers and workers are more than 18,000 primary trade union organizations that contribute to resolving labor disputes, protecting the rights of workers, improving working conditions and safety. The tripartite model of social partnership, in which more than 115 thousand memorandums on the preservation of jobs were signed, has also proved its effectiveness. With the participation of trade unions 24 conventions of the International Labor Organization have been ratified. All these measures are aimed at improving the working conditions of workers and improving their quality of life.
The Federation of Trade Unions, accepting responsibility for the modernization of the labor sphere, together with employers, should be the driving force of social adaptation of Kazakhstanis to the new conditions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, ”the greeting message of the Head of State notes.
Also, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan Madina Abylkasymova, the National Coordinator of the International Labor Organization in Kazakhstan Talgat Umirzhanov, the Chairman of the Committee for Social Sphere and Social Partnership of the Presidium of SPE “Atameken” Talgat Doskenov addressed the delegates with welcoming words.
Then the floor was given to the delegates of the trade unions from different regions of Kazakhstan: the chairman of the trade union committee of JSC “Locomotive kurastyru zauyty” Nurlybek Zhumash, an employee of “Mangistaumunaygaz” Anara Nugmanova, Methodist education department Karkarala district of Karaganda region Nikolai Smolin and the chairman of the Trade Union Center of Zhambyl region Meyrambek Tolepbergenov .
In the second part of the XXV-th Congress of the FTURK, work began according to the agenda.
Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Bakytzhan Abdіrayim, told delegates of the congress about the current activities of the FTURK and future plans to improve the trade union movement of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The FTURK chairman noted that the Federation of Trade Unions, as a socially responsible organization, has embarked on the modernization of its activities.
In the age of modernization, the country’s trade unions need to define a new vector of development in accordance with the challenges of the times.
It is trade unions that should be a powerful and constructive social institution capable of raising and solving issues of social and labor relations and social partnership.
Since the beginning of 2018, FTURK has strengthened its focus on work and interaction with the primary trade union organizations, which accumulate the whole range of problematic issues and expectations of the Man of Labor.
The work in the regions has been intensified and since the beginning of the year there have been held forums of primary trade union organizations in the cities of Kostanay, Astana, Shymkent, Pavlodar, Taraz, in the resort area of Alakol, Merke. More than a thousand chairmen of primary trade union organizations took part in these forums.
Cooperation with interested partners in the prevention and resolution of labor disputes has been expanded.
Memorandums of mutual cooperation were signed between the Federation of Trade Unions and the Nur Otan Party, the Supreme Court, aimed at strengthening public control over the observance of labor legislation and the use of alternative mechanisms for resolving labor disputes.
In the framework of the Memorandum on the establishment of Tatulasu Ortaligy (Reconciliation Centers) between the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan and FTURK, professional FTURK mediators and courts resolve labor, social and other disputes.
In all regions of Kazakhstan, on the basis of 17 territorial organizations of trade unions, centers of reconciliation of the parties and mediation offices have been established. FTURK specialists are actively considering labor mediation cases.
As part of the creation of a unified system of legal education of workers together with Samruk-Kazyna JSC, a project “School of Trade Union Leadership” was launched, aimed at teaching workers the basics of trade union leadership, legal and financial literacy.
The first graduation of this School has already taken place in various regions of Kazakhstan, where 67 leaders of primary and sectoral trade union organizations have been trained.
Cooperation with the International Confederation of Trade Unions and the International Labor Organization (ILO) has been strengthened.
“Our main slogan is “a stable enterprise – a stable society – a stable country!”. Stability is the main value of any society. If the employee feels that the enterprise is developing steadily, that he is legally protected and surrounded by social care, then the family’s affairs with such an employee will go well. This is an interrelated process.
Together with social partners, the National Chamber “Atameken”, heads of companies and enterprises, we need to develop mechanisms and standards to support social stability in every enterprise in Kazakhstan, ”noted Bakytzhan Abdіrayim.
The FTURK Chairman outlined the most important tasks for the coming years, including increasing attention to occupational safety and health issues in production, modernizing the social protection of a working person and bringing mediation issues between employers and employees to a new qualitative level.
One of the most important tasks will be to involve workers of enterprises and organizations that do not have collective agreements with employers today, i.e. no regulatory protection of their rights and interests.
The most accessible and transparent obtaining of new knowledge, qualifications and competencies for working youth is the fourth task.
Issues of retraining of personnel in accordance with the needs of the labor market are the fifth task for the FTURK for the next five years.
The delegates of the congress considered and made decisions on all issues put on the agenda: on electing the Chairman of the FTURK, on amending the Charter and on the Regulations on the Audit Commission, on approving the composition of the General Council and on electing the Audit Commission.
In general, the last congress demonstrated the unity of opinions and strength of positions in the ranks of the largest social and labor organization of Kazakhstan: FTURK unites 21 sectoral trade unions and 17 territorial unions of trade unions, which have more than 1.7 million members.