As part of the “How do you live, primary?” campaign, Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions Nurlan Uteshev held an online visit to the primary trade union organization of the West Kazakhstan Historical and Regional Museum.
The museum is one of the oldest in Kazakhstan, with a history of about 185 years.
The acting director of the museum, Azhar Berrikaliyeva, said that the structural component of the museum has eight rooms specialized under various subjects. These include halls dedicated to archaeology, fine art, scientific discoveries, the Khans’ reign, the Soviet era and the independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Today, the museum presents more than 180,000 exhibits.
According to Yana Lukpanova, a senior researcher at the museum and a member of the trade union committee, the primary trade union organization in the museum has been operating for more than a century.
The museum employs 235 people, 98% of whom are union members.
In 2017, the organization was awarded the title of the winner of the republican competition among the primary trade union organizations of culture.
In addition, Yana Lukpanova spoke about the work of the Department of History and Archaeology, which joined the museum in 2019 and about her achievements in archaeology.
“My main discovery was the Taksai priestess, popularly known as the Golden Princess, found in 2012 in the mausoleum “Taksai hanshai” in the Terektin district of the West Kazakhstan region. This valuable artifact dates back to the early Sarmatian period,” the archaeologist said.
Yana Lukpanova also told the participants about other valuable artifacts found on the complex. The special emphasis during the meeting is placed on the issue of the museum’s logistical equipment.
“The material and technical base of the museum is outdated, a new building is needed. It is necessary for archaeologists to create decent working conditions. The museum industry is not interesting to young people because of low wages. As a result, there is a shortage of personnel in the industry, there is no continuity of generations,” Yana Lukpanova said.
Svetlana Imankulova, chairwoman of the Industry Union of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Information Workers, confirmed the urgency of the problems voiced by a senior researcher at the museum.
According to the Government’s Regulation “On the system of remuneration of civil servants, employees of organizations financed from the state budget, employees of state enterprises” No.1193, the basic salary is 17,697 tenge. It is necessary to raise the base salary to the level of the minimum wage or abolish it and ratify the ILO Convention 131 “on the establishment of the minimum wage with special consideration of developing countries” as well as The Convention No.102 “on minimum social security standards,” Svetlana Imankulova suggested.
She also raised the issue of the need to address the issue of a master’s degree co-payment to staff working in historical and archeological centres and museums.
Mazhilis deputy Meirambek Tolebergen praised the work of the primary trade union organization and thanked the collective for preserving, reviving and transferring the historical and cultural heritage to future generations
“The proposals of the museum staff, responsible not only for their regions, but for the whole country, will not go unnoticed,” he assured.
Summing up the meeting, FTURK Deputy Chairman Nurlan Uteshev thanked the trade union members for enriching the cultural and spiritual potential of our country.
“We are grateful for the fruitful contribution to the history of Kazakhstan. We will do everything possible to bring the problems to the attention of social partners,” He said.
He recalled that the FTURK’s Unity to Justice and Development Strategy for 2020-2025 provides new approaches to improve the system of protection of labor and socio-economic rights and the interests of workers.
“As you know, this year we signed a new General Agreement, which reflects effective measures to improve the pay system. We are confident that the Strategy will give new impetus to the work of the Federation of Trade Unions and together we will achieve justice and development,” Added Nurlan Uteshev.