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Viktor Pinsky Heads GCTU Delegation at Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow
A delegation from the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU), led by GCTU General Secretary and Deputy of the Russian State Duma Viktor Pinsky, participated in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Representatives of national trade union centers within the GCTU specifically traveled to Moscow to take part in the event.
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Trade Unions Remain a Key Pillar of Civil Society in CIS Countries – Viktor Pinsky
Viktor Pinsky, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions and Deputy of the Russian State Duma, spoke at a May Day demonstration in the Republic of Belarus.
The demands of trade unions are simple and clear: jobs, labor protection, decent wages, and guarantees in case of disability, Viktor Pinsky believes.
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Social Partnership in the CIS Must Reach an Interstate Level – Viktor Pinsky
CIS Trade Unions to Revise Model Law on Social Partnership
The General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) has decided to establish a working group to revise the CIS Model Law on Social Partnership. This decision was made during today’s meeting of the GCTU Commission on the Protection of Socio-Economic Interests of Workers and Legal Issues.
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Moscow Honors the Memory of Chernobyl Liquidators
A delegation from the General Confederation of Trade Unions participated in commemorative events marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster.
The event was organized by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and took place at the Mitinskoye Cemetery in Moscow, at the memorial to Soviet citizens who died as a result of the Chernobyl disaster.
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Trade Unions Must Contribute to the Fight Against the Global Pandemic of Cognitive Disorders
The General Confederation of Trade Unions has issued a statement in connection with World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
Although there is a lack of statistical data, the impact of psychosocial factors on workers across various economic sectors worldwide is evident to trade unions.
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Creation of a Civilized Migration Space in the CIS Discussed at the St. Petersburg Labor Forum
As part of the business program of the 10th Anniversary St. Petersburg Labor Forum, the International Conference "Common Migration Space of the CIS States: Modern Challenges and Development Prospects" is being held. A delegation from the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) is taking part in the conference.
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Conditions for Workers’ Active Longevity is a Matter of Economic Stability for CIS Countries – Viktor Pinsky
Special social policy measures in the CIS countries should focus on protecting the rights of elder workers, as this currently determines the economic stability of the Commonwealth nations, according to the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU).
"The aging of the qualified workforce is a global trend, including in the CIS. Therefore, preserving and creating conditions for the active elder workers professional longevity that are skilled, educated, and capable of delivering high-quality results is a matter of economic and social stability for our countries and a guarantee of overall economic development," said Viktor Pinsky, GCTU Secretary General and Deputy of the State Duma.
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Viktor Pinsky: GCTU Must Play a Leading Role in Organizing Trade Union Education in the CIS
Viktor Pinsky, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU), believes that the GCTU should play a leading role in developing the system of training, retraining, and professional development, as well as in the exchange of experience and education of leaders and trade union activists across the CIS.
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For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not merely a day of spring and renewal. Above all, it is an opportunity to once again reflect on the role of women in the world of work and in global development as a whole. Today, women perform 55% of the world’s total labor. They work longer hours than men—by 6 to 13 hours per week—and still earn less: on average, women’s wages amount to 66–84% of men’s wages, depending on the country. There is objective evidence that the more a country values women’s labor and the smaller the gender pay gap, the more developed its economy. A special issue is the “invisibility” of women’s domestic and, as experts call it, reproductive labor. This is why trade unions should continue to fight for justice for working women.
I congratulate all women of the CIS, my colleagues in the parliamentary corps, and women in trade unions on International Women’s Day. I wish you justice, decent work, success, and prosperity!
Viktor Pinsky
General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions, Member of the State Duma
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General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
The General Confederation of Trade Unions’ (GCTU) proposals are reflected in the draft CIS model law “On Cross-Border Insolvency and Bankruptcy.”
Trade unions must have the right to represent and protect workers’ interests in the bankruptcy of international companies, according to Viktor Pinsky, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and General Secretary of the GCTU.
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Salaries on the Rise and Fall: How Workers’ Earnings Changed in CIS Countries
In the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), wages are still unevenly distributed: workers in raw materials, finance, and high-tech industries earn much more than those in socially important fields like public services and agriculture. At the same time, in most CIS countries, both nominal and real wages increased in 2025. The General Confederation of Trade Unions analyzed salary trends both across the CIS as a whole and in specific economic sectors.
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Role of Public Diplomacy in International Relations Discussed in Russia’s State Duma
Diplomacy takes many forms, but its core purpose is to maintain dialogue, identify common interests, and bring them to fruition, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He was responding to a question from the State Duma Deputy and General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions Viktor Pinsky regarding the role and significance of public diplomacy in strengthening peace, stability, and good-neighborly relations.
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Unified Repository of Collective Agreements and Smart Contracts: GCTU Sets the Vector for Trade Union Digital Transformation
Trade unions risk losing their ability to effectively protect workers rights amid the growth of the platform economy without rapid digital transformation. Experts from the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) in the academic essay Social Dialogue in a Polycentric World view digitalization as a strategic priority, without which it is impossible to maintain the regulatory role of the trade union movement in labor relations.
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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).
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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.
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Viktor Pinsky: “Trade Unions of the CIS Countries Propose Setting a Higher Minimum Wage Standard”
The minimum wage in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States should reach a level that ensures a fulfilling life for citizens, said Victor Pinsky, deputy of the State Duma of Russia, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions. According to the deputy, the minimum wage should be brought to the level of the minimum consumer budget.
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Development of a Common Labour Market in CIS Countries Called for by the General Confederation of Trade Unions
The formation of a common labor market in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a strategic task for social partners: governments, trade unions, and businesses, believes Viktor Pinsky, a Deputy of the State Duma and General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions. He stated this in an interview with the Sputnik Uzbekistan press center on November 10.
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Viktor Pinsky: “Ensuring Decent Labour Conditions and Dignified Life for Older Workers is a CIS Priority”
Viktor Pinsky, Russian State Duma member and Secretary-General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU), stated that active longevity and quality of life for older workers are among the key priorities for the CIS countries. The statement was made following the 38th meeting of the Advisory Council on Labour, Employment, and Social Protection of the Population of the CIS Member States, held on October 30 in Tashkent. Viktor Pinsky noted that demographic changes require CIS countries to focus their efforts on ensuring decent working conditions and a comfortable life for older citizens.
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Data from Russian trade unions has been included in official occupational safety and health analytics for the first time.
The federal analytical report on occupational safety has, for the first time, utilized data from the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR). The Federal State Budgetary Institution "All-Russian Research Institute of Labour" of the Russian Ministry of Labour has published the analytical review "Occupational Safety in Figures" for 2024.
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How Trade Unions Around the World Attract New Members: General Confederation of Trade Unions Holds Discussion at the "World" Platform of the "Trade Unions. XXIst Century" Forum
The challenge of increasing trade union membership is relevant for union organizations worldwide. Trade unions in different countries are constantly searching for effective tools to engage new members, said Margarita Usova, Deputy General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU).
"As our colleagues around the world say, the truth is that only a negligible number of workers join unions for ideological or class reasons. The rest want to see daily, tangible personal benefits from joining a union," Usova reported on October 10th during the VII Intellectual Forum "Trade Unions. XXIst Century. Motives and Incentives." -
Protection for Taxi Drivers, Couriers, and Freelancers: The General Confederation of Trade Unions Supports the Adoption of the CIS Model Law "On Platform Employment"
The draft for the law "On Platform Employment" was approved during a general meeting of the Standing Commission on Economics and Finance of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS. The document will be sent to the parliaments of CIS member states for feedback, comments, and suggestions. The meeting took place on October 9 in St. Petersburg, chaired by Alexey Sandikov, a member of the National Assembly Standing Commission of the Republic of Armenia on Regional Issues and Eurasian Integration. The discussion was attended by MPs from CIS countries, scholars, and other experts. The General Confederation of Trade Unions was represented by Deputy General Secretary Natalia Podshibyakina.
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Third Congress of the Confederation of Labor of Kazakhstan Held in Almaty
Forty delegates participated in the Third Congress of the Confederation of Labor of Kazakhstan (CLK), held on September 19 in Almaty. The event brought together representatives from sectoral trade unions affiliated with the CLK, as well as officials from the Ministry of Labor of Kazakhstan, the "Amanat" Trade Union Association, and the General Confederation of Trade Unions.
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ILO Experts Clarify the Classification of the Self-Employed and the Term “Dependent Contractors”
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has published clarifications regarding the use of the term “dependent contractors”, providing a precise definition of this employment category.
“Dependent contractors are workers who maintain contractual relationships of a commercial nature (but not an employment contract) to provide goods or services to another economic unit, or through it. They are not employees of that economic unit, but they depend on it for the organization and performance of their work, for their income, or for access to the market. These are workers engaged with the aim of generating profit, but who rely on another organization that controls their productive activities and directly benefits from the work they perform,” the ILO experts explained. -
Automation and the Spread of AI May Be Driving Workers into Self-Employment: New ILO Study
Modern technologies may be pushing certain categories of workers toward unstable self-employment. Those most at risk include low-paid workers and individuals engaged in low-skilled occupations, according to a report published on the International Labour Organization (ILO) website.
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Social Partnership and New Forms of Employment Discussed by Russian and Belarusian Trade Unions in Minsk
The development of the regulatory and legal framework, the creation of a unified legal information system, and other integration processes became key topics of discussion at the Standing Seminar of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia on the Construction of the Union State, held on July 10–11 in Minsk. This marks the 80th session of the seminar.
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GCTU representative highlighted the need to combat economic inequality during her speech at the International Labour Conference
“Labour productivity growth should be achieved through processes optimization, introduction of new technologies, staff training, and improved working conditions” - this was stated by Margarita Usova, Under Secretary-General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU), while speaking on June 5, 2025 at the plenary session of the 113th International Labour Conference.
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Международную федерацию профсоюзов работников лесных отраслей СНГ возглавил Денис Журавлев
Председателем Международной федерации профсоюзов работников лесных отраслей СНГ избран Денис Журавлёв. Такое решение приняли делегаты внеочередного VII Конгресса международного профобъединения, состоявшегося 20 марта в Москве. При этом Журавлёв продолжит руководить Профсоюзом работников лесных отраслей Российской Федерации.
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В Межпарламентской ассамблее СНГ продолжается подготовка модельного закона «О платформенной занятости»
Модельный законопроект «О платформенной занятости», готовящийся Межпарламентской ассамблеей Содружества независимых государств, основательно проработан и находится на высокой стадии готовности. Об этом на заседании экспертного совета по экономике МПА СНГ 14 марта сообщил ответственный секретарь рабочей группы Александр Долгов. В новый вариант законопроекта включены важные изменения, касающиеся учета миграционного законодательства со стороны операторов платформ, урегулирования трансграничных отношений платформенной занятости. В этой версии документа учтено предложение Всеобщей конфедерации профсоюзов о контроле человека за принятием автоматических решений о назначении и взыскании штрафов.
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Виктор Пинский рассказал о важности работы ВКП с международным законодательством
Межпарламентское сотрудничество депутатов из разных стран Содружества независимых государств, их участие в совместных мероприятиях, помогают двигаться в сторону равных прав работников в государствах СНГ. Об этом глава Всеобщей конфедерации профсоюзов, председатель комиссии Госдумы по регламенту и обеспечению деятельности Виктор Пинский заявил в интервью для газеты «Солидарность».
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Предложения ВКП по защите прав платформенных занятых учтены в модельном законопроекте СНГ
Подготовленные профсоюзами положения, защищающие права работников цифровых платформ, внесены в модельный законопроект «О платформенный занятости», разработка которого ведется на площадке Межпарламентской ассамблеи (МПА) СНГ. Об этом стало известно в ходе заседания рабочей группы по подготовке законопроекта, состоявшегося 13 февраля в Санкт-Петербурге.
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Руководители ВКП приняли участие в X съезде Федерации профсоюзов Беларуси
В работе X съезда Федерации профсоюзов Беларуси, который состоялся 31 января, приняли участие Генеральный секретарь ВКП Виктор Пинский и президент ВКП Александр Корчагин.
GCTU News
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CIS Countries Change Their Approach to Women's Labor
A roundtable discussion titled "Labor Protection for Women" was held at the CIS Headquarters with the support of the Advisory Council on Labor, Employment, and Social Protection of the Population of the CIS Member States.
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For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not merely a day of spring and renewal. Above all, it is an opportunity to once again reflect on the role of women in the world of work and in global development as a whole. Today, women perform 55% of the world’s total labor. They work longer hours than men—by 6 to 13 hours per week—and still earn less: on average, women’s wages amount to 66–84% of men’s wages, depending on the country. There is objective evidence that the more a country values women’s labor and the smaller the gender pay gap, the more developed its economy. A special issue is the “invisibility” of women’s domestic and, as experts call it, reproductive labor. This is why trade unions should continue to fight for justice for working women.
I congratulate all women of the CIS, my colleagues in the parliamentary corps, and women in trade unions on International Women’s Day. I wish you justice, decent work, success, and prosperity!
Viktor Pinsky
General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions, Member of the State Duma
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General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
The General Confederation of Trade Unions’ (GCTU) proposals are reflected in the draft CIS model law “On Cross-Border Insolvency and Bankruptcy.”
Trade unions must have the right to represent and protect workers’ interests in the bankruptcy of international companies, according to Viktor Pinsky, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and General Secretary of the GCTU.