On October 7, 2024, members of the International Labour Organization (ILO) delegation visited the office of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan (FTUK), where a meeting was held with the FTUK chairman and the heads of its affiliated organizations.

Participants of the Meeting

The ILO delegation included:

• Sergejus Glovatskas – Head of the Europe and Central Asia Sector of the ILO Bureau
• Gocha Alexandria – Chief Specialist on Workers’ Activities at the Moscow ILO Bureau

FTUK’s Initiatives and Reforms

Welcoming the ILO delegation, FTUK Chairman Muradil Dzhumadilde uulu noted that this was the first offline meeting in Bishkek with the participation of FTUK-affiliated organization leaders.

He spoke about key areas of FTUK’s work, including:

• Optimization and digitalization of activities
• Structural changes within FTUK
• Reduction of affiliated organizations from 26 to 17 to eliminate duplications and reinforce committees
• Transformation of all regional trade union councils into FTUK branches to ensure local representation in all regions
• Increase in the number of technical and legal labor inspectors to enhance protection of workers’ rights and labor safety
• Launch of a 24/7 hotline (1229) for free consultations on labor issues

“The primary function of a trade union is the protection of workers’ rights and labor safety. With these new measures, we aim to resolve labor disputes faster and provide better support to workers.”
— Muradil Dzhumadilde uulu

Additionally, he highlighted the FTUK Youth Council’s activities in promoting youth policy and enhancing qualifications among young people, as well as the FTUK Women’s Council’s role in addressing gender issues and workplace challenges for women.

Further developments include:

• Introduction of trade union discount cards for members, offering significant savings in various organizations
• Signing of agreements with the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child and the Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz Republic to implement social projects

“All these and many other initiatives have been implemented in a short time, and we have many more projects planned for the protection of workers’ rights, labor safety, and the strengthening of international cooperation.”
— Muradil Dzhumadilde uulu

ILO’s Perspective on Convention No. 190 and Future Ratifications

In his remarks, Sergejus Glovatskas emphasized the importance of implementing ILO Convention No. 190 in Kyrgyzstan.

“This convention is a forward-looking and innovative instrument that takes into account the evolving nature of the labor sphere. Kyrgyzstan ratified Convention No. 190 this year, which aims to eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace. Trade unions must play a leading role in raising awareness and uniting workers in the fight against violence.”
— Sergejus Glovatskas

He also noted that FTUK is initiating the ratification of additional ILO conventions, including:

• ILO Convention No. 183 – Protection of Maternity and Childhood
• ILO Convention No. 187 – Fundamentals of Occupational Hygiene
• ILO Convention No. 177 – Home Work

“Once these conventions are ratified, the rights of workers will be even better protected. It is gratifying to see the close cooperation between FTUK and the Ministry of Labor, Social Development, and Migration, as well as the agreements with the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child and the Ombudsman. I am confident that all planned projects to inform young people about labor safety and the protection of workers’ rights will be successfully implemented.”
— Sergejus Glovatskas