In March of this year, the Federation of trade unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan submitted for public discussion a draft of a new General agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Republican associations of employees and Republican associations of employers for 2021-2023.
In addition, the Federation of trade unions of Kazakhstan Republic has taken the initiative with all national associations To work together to develop unified and consolidated approaches to the protection of fundamental workers’ labor and economic rights and guarantees of their remuneration.
Today, a Joint decision were signed in the central office of the Federation of trade unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FPRK) about the creation of a working group with the participation of national trade union associations’ representatives to prepare a draft general agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Republican associations of employees and Republican associations of employers for 2021-2023. The document was signed by the Chairman of the federation of trade unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan Satybaldy Dauletalin, the Chairman of the Commonwealth of trade unions of Kazakhstan “Amanat” Andrey Prigor and the Deputy Secretary General of the Kazakhstan labor Confederation Bakhyt Kaparov.
In welcoming the participants in the meeting, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, S.Dauletalin, noted that all national trade union associations in Kazakhstan are sharing the task of protecting the rights of employees and promoting their interests at all levels of social partnership.
“In the crisis conditions of this year, the role of the system of social partnership is being objectively increased, in which the causes and dimensions of the crisis must be analysed and proposals formulated for the preservation and creation of new jobs and guarantees in the social and labour sphere; Increasing the effectiveness of State support measures in the real economy, and returning to the path of sustainable economic growth. The apex of the whole system of social partnership and the fundamental document of republican level is the General Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, republican workers’ associations and republican employers’ associations», – noted the Head of the Federation of Trade Unions.
According to Satybaldy Dauletalin, «declarative and blurred norms, including the General Agreement, lack of interrelationship between different level agreements and collective agreements still occur».
We do believe that this situation must change! What was not particularly noticeable in the situation of economic growth becomes absolutely unacceptable in the period of economic recession, falling incomes of employees», – emphasized the Chairman of the FPRK.
The Chairman of the Commonwealth of trade unions of Kazakhstan “Amanat” Andrey Prigor described the creation of a single working group to work on the draft General agreement as a historical event.
“It is the first time, when the Republican Trade Union Associations decided to work together to strongly lobby for the interests of employees. This is a historical event in the entire history of the trade union movement of Kazakhstan”, – noted Andrey Prigor.
The Kazakhstan labor Confederation also supports joining efforts in working on the draft General agreement. This was stated by Deputy Secretary General of the Kazakhstan labor Confederation Bakhyt Kaparov.
“We (Republican associations of trade unions-Ed.) have common goals and they should unite us. The Kazakhstan labor Confederation fully supports joint actions to develop common approaches to protecting workers ‘ rights, which will be reflected in the General agreement,” Bakhyt Kaparov has made his point.
The parties approved the composition of the working group, which included three representatives from each Republican Association of trade unions. Adviser to the Secretary General for economy of the Kazakhstan labor Confederation Meiram Kazhyken noted the professionalism of the members of the working group.
“I support the beginning of the movement as a united front. Trade unions should indicate their firm position. The working group includes professionals whom we know, everything will be business-like and without contradictions, ” Meiram Kazhyken said.
In summarizing the meeting, the Chairman of the FPRK, Satybaldy Dauletalin, emphasized that the conclusion of the new General Agreement was taking place in an unprecedented difficult economic environment. It is therefore very important for all parties of the social partnership to include in the project «real» norms.
“I hope that the new General agreement will be a reference point for balancing the interests of all parties: employers, trade unions, and the Government, and an example of a reliable social partnership,” concluded Satybaldy Dauletalin.
We recall that this year the implementation of the current General Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Republican associations of employees and Republican associations of employers for 2018-2020 is being completed 2020, therefore, the Federation of Trade Unions began work on a new General Agreement in March.
In addition to legislation, social and labour relations in Kazakhstan are governed by the norms and provisions of the General Agreement, 22 sectoral and 16 regional agreements and more than 125,000 collective agreements. Collective agreements have been concluded in 98 per cent of enterprises in which the primary trade union organizations of FPRK are active.
Press service of the Federation of Trade Unions