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The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR) welcomes the beginning of the country’s ratification of the International Labour Organization’s Conventions, but calls on the government not to drag out the process.
“Ratification of international Conventions expanding social and labour rights of workers is a serious step towards developing a social state,” said Mikhail Shmakov, FITUR chairman.
At present, when the mechanism is launched, the opportunity for restoring protection from layoffs for elected trade union activists emerged, he said in his comments on the decision to submit the first three conventions to the State Duma (Parliament) for consideration in late January. Then the tripartite commission on the regulation of social and labour relations brining together the government, trade unions and employer associations reached an agreement on ILO’s Holidays with Pay Convention No 54 (1936), Workers’ Representatives Convention No 135, 1971, and Collective Bargaining Convention No 154, 1981.
Along with this Shmakov underlined that “a number of other most important Conventions of the ILO remains non-ratified.”
He reiterated that the Russian Health and Social Development Ministry studied the list of ILO Conventions proposed by the FITUR for ratification.
“As a result, another ten conventions can be ratified already now, another four – after amending the legislation or conducting additional surveys,” Shmakov said. “However, the Ministry proposed to shelve another thirteen conventions or even to consider their ratification inexpedient.”
Among those shelved documents are Workmen’s Compensation (Occupational Diseases) Convention (Revised) No 42, 1934, Migration for Employment Convention (Revised) No 97, 1949, and Part-Time Work Convention No 175, 1994.
Source: ITAR-TASS
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