28 April, 2011The Russian parliamentary Committee for labour and social policy has approved and recommended to the chamber of deputies a bill prohibiting agency labour. The bill is submitted by the deputies Andrey Isaev (vice chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia FNPR) and Mikhail Tarasenko (chairman of the IMF affiliate Miners' and Metallurgical Workers' Union MMWU).
RUSSIA: On April 21 the Committee of State Duma on labour and social policy approved and recommended the chamber of deputies to adopt in the first reading the bill banning the use of agency labour. The bill "About measures to prevent employers from avoiding conclusion of labour agreements through the ungrounded conclusion of civil contracts, use of mechanisms of agency labour or other means" was submitted by the deputies Andrei Isaev (FNPR deputy chairman) and Mikhail Tarasenko (MMWU chairman)
The document received strong support from both FNPR and Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR).
With some reservations the bill also gained the support of the Government, which however demanded some amendments for the second reading. The position of employers did not change, representatives of both big and medium business strongly object to any kind of limitation of agency labour mechanisms.
"I hope State Duma will adopt the bill in the nearest future and the employers who so far created inadequate or even bad workplaces and conditions will no longer have the possibility to do this with impunity", commented FNPR secretary Alexander Shershukov.
Below is the text of the statement issued by FNPR and KTR:
"Statement by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia and the Confederation of Labour of Russia.
FNPR and KTR support the decision of the Duma Committee for Labour and Social Policy about the necessity to quickly adopt the bill banning agency labour.
We believe that the bill should be finalized and adopted already at the spring session of the State Duma.
We consider as inconsistent and biased the opinions according to which the adoption of this bill will result in higher unemployment. Adopted in Russia the ban on agency labour will force unscrupulous employers to avoid attempting to escape from their social and fiscal obligations.
The trade union movement of Russia expresses its unity in support of this bill."
FNPR Chairman, Mikhail Shmakov
KTR President, Igor Kovalchuk