December 2010

• Russian trade unionists, employers and government sign general agreement for 2011-2013
  29 December 2010. On December 29, national associations of trade unions and employers and the Russian government signed the eleventh general agreement for 2011-2013. The document was signed by the Chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR), Mikhail Shmakov, Health and Social Development Minister Tatyana Golikova and Executive Vice-President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) Fyodor Prokopov.
• Putin for making use of best foreign practices of labor relations
  29 December 2010. A general agreement among the national associations of trade unions, employers and the government of the Russian Federation for 2011-2013 was signed on Wednesday. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attended the ceremony.
• Rostrud forecasts about 2 mln jobless in 2011
  21 December 2010. Russia's federal employment agency hopes that the unemployment rate will be around 2 million in 2011 - slightly lower than the Economic Development Ministry forecasts, Rostrud chief Yuri Gertsiy told a news conference on Tuesday.
• Unemployment rate in Russia goes slightly down
  19 December 2010. The number of the unemployed in Russia decreased from 5.1 million in October to 5 million in November, while the unemployment rate, or the ratio of the number of the unemployed to the overall potential workforce, reduced from 6.8 percent to 6.7 percent, the Prime-Tass economic news agency reported, citing the Russian state statistics authority.
• Almasbek Abytov appointed Kyrgyzstan’s new Minister of Labour, Employment and Migration
  16 December 2010. On December 16, 2010, Almasbek Abytov became Kyrgyzstan’s new Minister of Labour, Employment and Migration.
• Global Wage Report: ILO says economic crisis cut global wage growth by half
  15 December 2010. The financial and economic crisis has cut global wage growth by half in 2008 and 2009, says a new report by the International Labour Office.
• Employers’ Code of Conduct on Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labour signed in Georgia
  7 December 2010. On 7 December, Georgia’s employers and business associations signed the Code of Conduct on Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labour. The Code was developed by the Georgian Employers’ Association in consultation with the ILO and with the employers’ organizations and business associations working in Georgia.
• Moscow hosts international conference on trade union rights
  3-4 December 2010. On December 3-4 Moscow hosted a regional conference “Building Democracy and Trade Union Rights in the NIS (new independent states) countries”. It was organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the ITUC’s Pan-European Regional Council initiated by the Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR).
• Uzbekistan to spend over 6bn dollars on social projects in 2011
  3 December 2010. The Uzbek state budget spending for 2011 will stand at 17 trillion soms (over 10.4bn dollars), 60 per cent of which or 10 trillion soms (over 6.1bn dollars) is to be channelled to support the social sphere.
• Message by Juan Somavia Director-General of the International Labour Office on the occasion of World AIDS Day
  1 December 2010. Despite significant progress in stemming the pandemic, HIV still poses a significant obstacle to realizing the goals of sustainable development and decent work for all.
  Its effects are highly concentrated amongst those of the most productive age. This human tragedy also hits families, enterprises, societies and economies.