Members of State Duma Committee on Labour, Social Policy and Veterans’ Affairs Discussed Cooperation with International Labour Organization

At a meeting with the management and staff of the ILO Moscow Office, members of the State Duma Committee on Labour, Social Policy and Veterans’ Affairs discussed the options and prospects for further cooperation with the ILO.

News | 12 April 2018
ILO News (MOSCOW) - In opening the meeting on April 12 at the ILO Moscow Office, Director Olga Koulaeva expressed confidence that successful cooperation between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the State Duma committee would continue. “We share the same goals, priorities and benchmarks aimed at coordinating the activities with regard to regulation of labour relations including national markets and global dialogue”, she said.

Olga Koulaeva gave an overview of the Programme of Cooperation between the ILO and the Russian Federation, and noted its priority areas, including youth employment and skills development. Olga Koulaeva highlighted a long history of ILO – State Duma relations, with annual visits of the Duma delegations to the ILO Headquarters in Geneva.

In his turn, Yaroslav Nilov, Committee Chairman, noted that the State Duma is ready for constructive cooperation regarding both clarification of positions on pending legislative initiatives and holding joint events. “OSH, social protection of workers, mutual respect of the rights of all parties to the production process are regularly at the focus of round tables and other meetings held by the Committee in a variety of formats,” Mr. Nilov said. “Moreover, as the International Labour Organisation will commemorate its anniversary next year, the Centenary Exhibition can be held at the State Duma”.
 
The Committee head stressed the importance of laws adopted by the State Duma lately. “In particular, the minimum wage has been finally brought in line with the subsistence minimum. Now other, more ambitious benchmarks are on the agenda”.

“Regular contacts between the State Duma and ILO help to make well-considered, balanced decisions in a number of cases. For instance, the fact that the Russian Labour Code has been recognized by independent experts as a fairly effective tool for regulating relationships between workers and employers goes to the International Labour Organization”, Mikhail Tarasenko, Senior Deputy Chairman of the Committee said.

In concluding the meeting, the Committee head invited Ms. Koulaeva and the staff of the ILO Moscow Office to attend the Committee’s meetings. “In the course of these meetings which are always open, it would be useful to discuss the prospects of learning from the best international practices. And, vice versa, the Russian law-making experience can become a resource for other countries as well”, Mr. Nilov summed up.