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.
“We consider the issue raised in the report by ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo on the relationship between wages and labour productivity to be particularly important for trade unions. We are opposed to increasing labour productivity by intensifying the exploitation of workers,” Ms. Usova said.
The Under Secretary-General of the GCTU also touched upon the issue of growing economic inequality. She noted, that in some countries of the CIS region, where the Confederation member organizations operate, the ratio between the average income of the 10% of the population with the highest incomes and the 10% with the lowest incomes increased in 2023 to 12, 15, and even, in one case, to more than 18 times.
Platform employment was one of the key topics discussed by participants at the 113th session of the International Labour Conference. Margarita Usova recalled that the GCTU contributes to the development of a model law by the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly. The Confederation has managed to introduce amendments to the draft of the document, that are significant for workers.
GCTU News
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Viktor Pinsky: GCTU Should 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 take a leading role in developing a system for training, retraining, and upgrading the skills of personnel, exchanging experiences, and educating leaders and trade union activists across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
"We already have successful experience in organizing trade union education. This year over 400 people from six countries participated in the GCTU’s first two educational programs. The idea to launch such programs came directly from the requests of our member organizations. Internships are another in-demand format, especially among young people. They provide an opportunity to personally visit international organizations and see their work from the inside," said Viktor Pinsky.
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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.