New Minimum Wage Campaign: Current Tasks of the General Confederation of Trade Unions Discussed at Meetings of the Executive Committee and Council of the GCTU

How to Prevent "Serfdom" in the Platform Economy: A Study by the General Confederation of Trade Unions

The blurring of employment boundaries, the rejection of employer status, and the denial of basic social guarantees to workers affect millions employed in the platform economy, according to a new academic essay Social Dialogue in a Polycentric World by the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU).

Holidays in 2026: All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center Studies Production Calendars of Eight CIS Countries

In the new year, the “eight” countries—Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—citizens of Azerbaijan will enjoy the biggest number of the days off: 124, while Belarusians will have the fewest: 111.

Viktor Pinsky: “Main Trade Union Principles – Solidarity and Unity – Help Look Confidently into the Future”

Viktor Pinsky, Secretary General of the GCTU, congratulated the heads of GCTU’s affiliated organizations, trade union activists and trade union members on New Year 2026.

New Minimum Wage Campaign: Current Tasks of the General Confederation of Trade Unions Discussed at Meetings of the Executive Committee and Council of the GCTU

Meetings of the Executive Committee and the Council of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) were held in Moscow on December 8. Trade union leaders from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan discussed current socio-economic issues, achievements and new areas of work of the GCTU.

One of the main issues considered at the meeting of the Executive Committee was the results of the GCTU’s solidarity campaign “Minimum Wage – to Minimum Subsistence Level”. Currently, in many CIS countries, the minimum wage is significantly higher than the subsistence minimum. In Uzbekistan, the minimum wage is almost twice as high as the subsistence minimum; in Russia, the minimum wage will be more than 30% higher than the subsistence minimum starting from January 1, 2026. Members of the Executive Committee of the GCTU are confident that the tendency of increasing wages in CIS countries should continue. In this regard, one need to set a higher minimum wage standard.

Supporting Mechanisms for Healthcare Workers at the International and National Levels Discussed in Uzbekistan

Anatoly Domnikov, President of the International Confederation of Trade Unions of Healthcare Workers (MKPRZ), and Olga Zhankevich, Secretary General of the MKPRZ, held a working meeting with Farkhodjon Khanapiyaev, Chairman of the Republican Council of the Trade Union of Healthcare Workers of Uzbekistan, and Bakhtiyor Makhmadaliev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan. The parties discussed the socio‑economic situation in the healthcare sector of Uzbekistan, reviewed the supporting mechanisms for medical workers, outlined the main issues on the agenda of the upcoming MKPRZ congress and formed a plan for bilateral cooperation between the trade unions of Russia and Uzbekistan.

Belarus Drafted a Bill on New Guarantees for Workers

10-minute breaks in the heat and cold, the official registration of the remote working model, and documents on labor protection in an electronic form – such novelties are included in the draft law, which was developed by the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FPB). The bill was discussed on December 23 in Minsk at a meeting of the National Council on Labour and Social Issues, which comprises representatives of the Government, trade unions and employers’ associations.

Labour Protection and Income Growth: General Collective Agreement Signed in Uzbekistan

The General Collective Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan and the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan has defined the main areas of cooperation between the parties on socio‑economic issues for the years 2026-2028. The document was signed on November 1, 2025 within the framework of the IX Kurultay of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan.

Employers’ responsibility in investigating industrial accidents to be strengthened in Belarus

The procedure for investigating industrial accidents will change in Belarus from January 1, 2026. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has approved a new instruction. Supervision will be carried out by the Department of the State Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labor of Belarus.