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ILO |
The official visit of the ILO Director General, Mr. Juan Somavia, to the Russian Federation took place from the 15th to 19th of July. The official delegation comprised Mr. Kari Tapiola, Executive Director on Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work; Mr. Friedrich Buttler, Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia; Mme Tabatabai, Director, Department of Communication; Mme Ching, Cabinet and Mrs. Pauline Barrett Reid, Director of ILO Moscow Office. The purpose of the visit was to hold talks with high-level government, worker and employer representatives on a wide range of economic and social issues critical to one of the ILO’s largest members.
The visit was very comprehensive and began with separate meetings with the tripartite constituents Mr. Alexander Pochinok, Minister of Labour and Social Development and Heads of key Departments; Mr. Mikhail Shmakov, Chairman, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of the Russian Federation and leaders of affiliated trade unions; Mr. Oleg Eremeev, Director-General, Coordinating Council of Employers’ Unions of Russia and colleagues.
There were also meetings with Mr. Mikhail Kasyanov, the Prime
Minister; Mrs. Valentina Matvienko, Deputy Prime 
Minister
and Mr. Mikhail Dmitriev, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Economic Development
and Trade. Mr. Somavia paid two courtesy calls on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and was received by Mr. Igor Ivanov, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Andrei
Denisov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In addition the delegation paid a visit to the State Duma, where they were received by Mr. Gennady Seleznyov, Chairman of the State Duma and Mr. Andrei Selivanov, Head of the Labour and Social Policy Committee. The meeting focused on the constructive relationship and collaboration that had developed between the ILO and the State Duma and how it could continue.
The delegation was also able to meet the Mayor of Moscow Mr. Yuri Louzhkov. The Mayor explained that the City’s social partnership system was based on a tripartite agreement between the Moscow Federation of Trade Unions (to which belong 90% of Moscow employees), the Government of Moscow and the Confederation of Enterprises and Producers of Moscow.
Mr. Somavia thanked the Mayor for his clear presentation of the City’s social policies. "You are searching for a balance to guarantee the protection of those, which the market economy doesn’t take care of. These are important world wide problems, but the balance for their solution is not everywhere developed as it is here", said the Director-General.
After the meeting the ILO Delegation visited a Shelter for Street Children of the Moscow South Administrative Region. The shelter hosts 60 children between 3 and 17 years of age. The establishment of such shelters is a very important initiative of the Moscow government, noted the delegation members.
As well as these official meetings Mr. Somavia gave a keynote address at a Round Table on Decent Work and Globalization. The Round Table discussion was launched at the President Hotel on July 16th, with 50 participants – representatives of the ILO, Ministry of Labour and Social Development of Russian Federation, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FITUR), Coordinating Council of Employers’ Unions of Russia (CCEUR), Government officials, experts from academic circles and NGOs.
The ILO Director General opened his address on Decent Work in the Global Economy and recognized a need for looking for a new kind of "more inclusive form of globalization" and "building legitimacy in the global economy".
"Fundamentally, we need a concept of globalization that commands legitimacy in the eyes of the voters around the world because they feel that it responds to their fears and aspirations. This cannot be a one-size-fits-all model but rather a broader approach, within which choices can be made through democratic decision-making. We believe that this is possible", said the Director General.
The Director General presented the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda – the new integrated approach as a strategic means to poverty reduction in a global economy initiated by the ILO in 1999.
While presenting the four pillars supporting the objectives of decent work: work and employment itself, rights at work, security and social protection, representation and dialogue, the Director General noted that, past experiences have now demonstrated that in the absence of proper institutions and perfect information reducing budget deficit does not necessarily lead to poverty reduction, whereas reducing the Decent work Deficit will do so!
Recognizing the importance of the World of Work in globalization process the Director General identified the large-scale and long-term unemployment to be "the primary cause of poverty, social exclusion and ultimately of political instability".
The Director General expressed his belief in social dialogue as "a foundation of social stability" and a "potent mechanism" for shaping national and international "economically productive and socially just policies". "We believe that understandings among workers’ and employers’ organizations play a key role, both within enterprises as well as in society at large. We believe that through national and global dialogue a more inclusive form of globalization can emerge", said the Director General.
The Director General stressed that national ownership over the reform programs and national capacity building for socially responsible restructuring to be prerequisites for the success in sustainable development. "For an open global economy to success over time, it can not be seen as the imposition of the powerful over the weak – either among or within countries. Local ownership is essential for long-term legitimacy. People will support the positive practical results they can measure in the life of their families," said the Director General.
The Director General concluded his statement by expressing his confidence to the power of the Russian nation, Russians’ creativity and ability to overcome Russia’s today’s temporary problems. "I have the greatest trust that you will overcome successfully the pains and difficulties of today; that you will show the world the energy and creativity of the Russian soul; and that the Russian people and their families will be able to proudly say that freedom, liberty and democracy brought them a superior quality of life. The ILO is with you."
On July 16, Juan Somavia had a meeting with the leadership of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia. The main trade union priorities: decent employment, social guarantees, raising the level of the wages were discussed.
At this meeting Juan Somavia on behalf of the ILO handed over to trade unionists a series of training booklets "Trade Unions and Child Labour" just published in Russian. This emphasizes the role that trade unions can play in the elimination of child labour.
Director General of the International Labour Organization launched
the ILO Moscow Web site on HIV/AIDS and the 
World
of Work on the 17 July at the National Hotel prior to his official reception.
In his opening speech, Mr. Somavia mentioned the importance of using the workplace
as a key instrument in an information campaign on HIV/AIDS. At the moment the
Web site (http://www.ilo.ru/aids/index.htm) contains basic UN and ILO
documents on HIV/AIDS in Russian and English, and materials of the ILO Sub-regional
Tripartite Seminar on HIV/AIDS Pandemic – Social Consequences in the CIS Countries.
Juan Somavia, ILO Director General, was awarded the Honorary Doctorate in the Moscow State Social University for his services to Occupational Safety and Health and in particular for the publication of the Russian version of the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Safety and Health.
Minister of Labour, Mr. Alexander Pochinok, representatives of trade unions and employers’ organizations, several high-ranking officials and representatives of academic circles witnessed the ceremony.
Juan Somavia recalled that on 28 April every year the ILO commemorates workers killed at work. The ILO estimates that an unbelievable 2 million workers die every year in the world due to accidents and work-related diseases.
"Russia has a long-standing and recognized tradition of science and your writers have always been the social consciences for suffering people. Let us use our knowledge and our voices to make people aware of safety, to build a safety culture, to convince employers and workers, that safety pays", the Director General urged.
The Director General and the rest of the official delegation paid a visit to the ILO Moscow Office to meet the staff and see a major presentation on the work of the Office in the region that covers 10 states.
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The
official visit of the ILO Moscow Office to Georgia took place from 22–26 July.
The delegation comprised Mrs Pauline Barrett-Reid, Director, Mr. Sten Petersen,
Senior Specialist on Workers Activities, and Mrs. Olga Mzhavanadze, Country
Officer. The purpose of the mission was to meet all tripartite constituents
and discuss progress and priorities of the 2002–2003 Programme of Technical
Cooperation.
A series of highly interesting and informative meetings took place with the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs, Mr. Amiran Gamkrelidze, Deputy Minister Mrs Manoni Khachidze and Heads of Departments; the Minister for Urbanization and Construction, Mr. Merab Chkhenkeli; and, Deputy State Minister Mr. Akaki Zoidze. A courtesy call was paid on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the delegation was received by Mr. Shota Dogonadze, Deputy Minister.
A visit was paid to the Parliament and discussions were held with Mr. Zezva Gugunishvili, the Chairman of the Committee on Health Care and Social Issues on possible future support by the ILO to the Parliamentary Committee.
There was a constructive meeting with the Georgian Trade Unions Amalgamation, which was headed by Mr. Irakli Tugushi. Mr. Petersen then spent a day with sectoral unions discussing matters of current interest. It was possible to meet three employer associations – the Entrepreneurs Union of Georgia, the American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia and the Georgian Employers Union. The employers kindly arranged visits to some SME enterprises. And, finally it was possible to visit a women’s’ NGO Women’s Centre headed by Ms. Ia Verulashvili.
There were six common themes during discussions with all constituents. ILO support on revision of the Labour Code and implementation of Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. The importance of sustainable employment, the development of SME’s, a vibrant employment service and the need for retraining. Support on pension reform and the necessity for independent labour and occupational health inspection. The need to strengthen tripartism and social dialogue through work with the trade unions and employer associations as well involvement in tripartite projects such as plans for tripartite working on HIV/AIDS at the work place and gender equality with special reference to decent employment.
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On 20 to 23 August Mrs. Pauline Barrett-Reid, Director of the ILO Moscow Office and Mrs. Olga Mzhavanadze, Enterprise Restructuring Programme Assistant were on official visit to Chuvash Republic. The visit had two objectives. First, to meet the President and Prime Minister in order to learn about and discuss the local and economic development reforms that have taken place in the Republic and possible future collaboration. Second, to meet and have discussions with entrepreneurs who have been engaged in successfully restructuring their enterprises.
At the meeting with Mr. Nikolai Fedorov, President of the Republic a wide range of issues were discussed with particular emphasis on the framework that has been created at the governmental level to support development across the republic. Mrs. Barrett-Reid referred to the new Tripartite Programme of Technical Cooperation with the Russian Federation, future work on WTO and Globalization. The President said that he looked forward to future collaboration between the republic and the ILO Moscow Office.
The meeting with the Prime Minister, Mrs. Natalya Partasova concentrated on the employment of women, childcare and maternity support and wages.
The Director of the ILO Moscow Office was invited to address the Tripartite Commission. Her presentation concentrated on Decent Work. She explained that Decent Work can be achieved by the integration of International Labour Standards, Employment, Social Protection and Social Dialogue together with the cross cutting issues of HIV/AIDS and Gender. The new Tripartite Programme of Technical Cooperation between the ILO and the Russian Federation is designed to address the Decent Work Agenda.
The visits to the Electronics and Mechanics Plant and its daughter companies and to the Cotton Company "Pike" proved to be a very rich and interesting experience. Mr. Stanislav Liapunov, General Director of the Electronics and Mechanics Plant gave a presentation on the process of restructuring that had taken place since 1991 and is ongoing.