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What should be done amid economic downturn to protect workers’ rights? This issue topped the agenda of parliamentary hearings at the State Duma that focused on the development of Russia’s legislation in the social sphere and prospects for ratification of conventions of the International Labour Organization.
Participants in the hearings came to conclusion that it is necessary to bring the domestic legislation into line with international labour standards. “Of late importance of international labour standards in Russia has increased,” said Nadezhda Gerasimova, State Duma deputy speaker. “ILO’s conventions should form the backbone of domestic legislation, as they are aimed at protecting citizens’ labour rights, promoting employment and expanding opportunities for professional advancement.”
There is a general agreement signed by Russia’s trade unions, employers and government. It is aimed at conducting social and economic policy to ensure citizens’ rights to decent work and better living standards and to reduce poverty. Participants stressed that ratification of ILO’s Conventions would ease the way to achieve the intended goals.
At the same time Ildar Gabdrakhmanov, the first deputy head of the Duma’s labour and social policy committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the preparation for ratification of international documents. For instance, the tripartite commission on the regulation of social labour relations has been discussing Protection of Workers' Claims (Employer's Insolvency) Convention C173, for over ten years. The process would drag out for a longer period until the president and the government have instructed the Health and Social Development Ministry to speed up work on ratification of several conventions. As a result in January the ministry will submit nine ILO conventions to the State Duma for ratification. In particular, parliamentarians will consider Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Convention C130, Holidays with Pay Convention C132, Maternity Protection Convention C3 and Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention C174. According to the Health and Social Development Ministry, ratification of several conventions will require amendments to the effective legislation. Some conventions should be ratified later as their ratification will bring about additional spending.
At the same time representatives of the government agreed with parliamentarians that certain conventions of the ILO should be urgently ratified. Such issues as regulation of labour migrants and social protection of those citizens who went jobless should be high on the agenda. Therefore it is necessary to submit for consideration of parliamentarians such conventions as Home Work Convention C177 and Private Employment Agencies Convention C181.
“We are interested in ratifying the maximum number of ILO’s conventions,” said Deputy Health and Social Development Minister Maxim Topilin. “This would give a fresh impetus to upgrade the domestic legislation.”
At present, Russia ratified only 54 of ILO’s 188 conventions.
Source: Parlamentskaya gazeta newspaper
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