ILO Centenary
International Roundtable on the Role of Trade Union Education in Shaping the Future of Work
A session of the international roundtable “The Role of Trade Union Education in Shaping the Future of Work” was held on March 5 at the Academy of Labour and Social Relations (ALSR) to commemorate the centenary of the institution. The event was attended by representatives of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR), International Labour Organisation (ILO), countrywide trade unions as well as educational institutions of both Russian and international trade unions.
Nina Kuzmina, ALSR President and FITUR Deputy Chairperson, opened the session. In discussing the remarkable, century long history of the institution, a trade union talent foundry, she also identified the modern trends and challenges in the area of industrial relations including the spread of atypical forms of employment.
Mikhail Shmakov, FITUR Chairman, made a welcome address to the audience. He underlined that 2019 is a landmark year not only for the ALSR but also the ILO which is celebrating its centenary as well. Mr. Shmakov started his presentation by discussing the hot issues of cooperation with the ILO. He made a special reference to the ILO conventions that “form the brickwork of the national labour law in Russia, undoubtedly a major mission of the ILO which is, in a sense, a worldwide labour parliament”.
“The ILO Centenary is a cause for celebration for all workers across the globe”, Mr. Shmakov concluded.
He was followed by Maria Helena Andre, Director of the ILO Office for Workers’ Activities in Geneva, Switzerland (ACTRAV), who made a presentation “The History of the ILO and the Global Commission for the Future of Work Report”.
Olga Koulaeva, Director of the ILO Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, focused her presentation on cooperation between the ILO and the Russian Federation. Lejo Sibbel, Senior Specialist in International Labour Standards and Labour Law of the ILO Moscow Office, introduced the audience to the international labour standards which ensure workers’ access to training and skills development.
Gocha Aleksandria, ILO Moscow Specialist in Workers’ Activities, discussed the role of trade union education in strengthening worker movement and the ILO work in the region. Ramiro Pizarro, manager of the ILO Project “Partnership for Youth Employment in the CIS”, made a presentation entitled “The Role of Lifelong Education in Enhancing Workers’ Employment Potential in the Context of Technological Change”.
As a follow-up to the roundtable, a compilation of presentations will be published.