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13 November, 2024Kazakh trade unions affiliated with IndustriALL Global Union are callong for wage increases amid the declining purchasing power of workers. The demand was voiced during a meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana on 17 October, attended by representatives from unions, including the Mining and Metallurgical Trade Union Qazaqmetal, and the Industry Trade Union of Chemical, Petrochemical, and Related Industries Qazhimprofsoyuz.
Asylbek Nuralin, president of Qazaqmetal, highlighted the union’s ongoing efforts to advocate for a fair wage system, calling for the ratification of ILO Convention131 to establish a minimum wage linked to inflation. He stressed the need for reforms aligning Kazakh wage laws with international standards.
Qazhimprofsoyuz’s president, Kerim Pirimkuly, echoed the concerns, noting that wage improvements are a priority for all Kazakh unions. Participants, including officials from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labour, ILO and industry experts, discussed barriers to fair wages and potential steps for wage growth.
IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan underscored the global need for fair wages, emphasizing workers’ rights to organize and engage in collective bargaining. Patricia Valicu from IndustriALL Europe briefed attendees on the EU’s Minimum Wage Directive, comparing wage strategies across Europe.
In the bilateral meeting, Satybaldy Dauletalin, president of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (FTURK), discussed initiatives to increase the minimum wage and establish a fair wage-setting methodology. He urged employers to engage with unions in determining fair wages, as required by Kazakhstan’s Labour Code.
Increased cooperation as part of the development of the union movement, problem solving and the respect for workers' rights in the new economic conditions were also discussed.
A long standing supporter of oil and gas workers’ struggle for better working conditions, IndustriALL also met with Larisa Kharkova of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (KNPRK/CITUK) and Kuspan Kosshigulov of the Industry Trade Union of Fuel and Energy Complex Workers to discuss union rights and the possibility of joining the global union.
“The Kazakh economy is growing, and workers deserve a fair share to strengthen their purchasing power,”
said Kemal Özkan, reaffirming IndustriALL’s support for unionised Kazakh workers, their right to collective bargaining and their right to strike.