IndustriALL affiliates discuss challenges in the Russian energy sector

In the framework of bilateral cooperation, the Russian Independent Coal Employees' Union (Rosugleprof) told of its work with Australian unions on issues of safety, for example, in the development of equipment and technologies in the rescue of miners. Rosugleprof then shares this expertise with colleagues in the region. In September 2017 representatives from Rosugleprof will participate in the VII International Rescue Body Conference taking place in Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and Novokuznetsk, where a modern training centre for miners’ rescue will be opened this summer.

IndustriALL Executive Committee member and chair of Rosugleprof, Ivan Mochnachuk, outlined the challenges facing the coal sector, revealing that his union was losing around 4,500 members a year. Rosugleprof’s current membership is around 179,000 workers. This decline is due to the use of new technologies, as well as open-pit coal mining, which requires less workers.

The Russian Oil, Gas and Construction Workers Union (ROGWU) has established good contacts with the Norwegian (Industri Energi), Turkish (Petrol-IS) and some Chinese trade unions. The union is interested in IndustriALL’s help to establish closer cooperation with the Caspian project participants, where trade unions are operating in the world's leading mining companies.

The chair of ROGWU Alexander Korchagin reminded participants the importance of IndustriALL head office as an analytical centre. IndustriALL will conduct research of industries on a regular basis and will send the findings to affiliates.

IndustriALL affiliate, the All-Russian Electric Trade Union (ARETU) told about the success in working with multinational companies. For instance, the union managed to change administration of energy company Fortum from its head office in Finland to Fortum in Russia, which better understands the specifics of the country and is ready for dialogue with the union. Now ARETU is fighting for higher bonuses.

The chair of the ARETU, Valery Vakhrushkin, noted that his union would like to be more involved in IndustriALL activities. In turn, Diana Junquera Curiel proposed the ARETU to include them in some activities and GFA’s. This will allow the union to establish new strong relationship with colleagues from other countries.

Junquera Curiel said:

“The meetings with the three unions have been very successful and I'm satisfied with the result of our discussions. Now IndustriALL Global Union will work hardly developing networks between unions in different countries related with MNC's and support them to develop their skills and work.”