Federation of Mongolian Railway Workers’ Trade Unions Joins International Federation of Trade Unions of Transport Workers
The International Federation of Trade Unions of Transport Workers (ITF) has expanded its membership. The Federation of Mongolian Railway Workers’ Trade Unions (FMRT) has officially joined the ITF. The decision was made during the 71st session of the ITF Council, held on September 18, 2025, in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan. The event brought together leaders and delegations from transport workers’ unions in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
The Mongolian unions’ decision to join the ITF was adopted at the 5th extraordinary meeting of the FMRT Executive Council on May 26, 2025. The FMRT unites over 17,000 members across five railway companies in Mongolia, with Ulaanbaatar Railway JSC being the largest. The Federation comprises 61 primary organizations, with an overall membership rate of 98.5%.
During the session, participants discussed the cooperation expansion between the ITF and the Council for Rail Transport of the Commonwealth Member States. The ongoing collaboration with the Council was noted, and it was highlighted that, at the initiative of the unions, the Council has adopted approximately 30 interstate sectoral social agreements. The Federation’s analysis of social and labor issues remains in high demand among railway administrations.
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.