TRADE UNIONS OF TURKMENISTAN IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF SOCIETY

Oguldjennet BERDILIYEVA,

Chairperson of the National

Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan

Speaking at the session of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan on September 24 of this year, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, having noted the role and importance of this supreme representative body of people’s power, underlined that the principle of people’s democracy is of a worthy place in the socio-political life of our country, and the patriotism of citizens, the unshakable unity of the government and people are the foundation of state life and the basis of perfect social relations. “In this context, efforts are being made to further strengthen the relationship between the government and the people, the state and the society” concluded Hero-Arkadag.

According to the program, statutory goals and objectives of the trade unions of Turkmenistan, trade unions are the largest public association in the country. In accordance with the Law of Turkmenistan “On Trade Unions, Their Rights and Guarantees of Activity”, trade unions are independent public organizations that are created by citizens on a voluntary basis because of common labor and production-professional interests of citizens for the representation and protection of labor and socio-economic rights and interests of their members.

Having an enormous potential, large human resources, and a wide range of legal powers, the country’s trade unions are a full-fledged and independent institution of the political system of Turkmenistan and play the important role in ensuring stability and national unity in society. The trade unions fully support the domestic and foreign policies of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and take the active part in implementation of the strategic course of the head of state on the economic, social and political modernization of the country.

In his speech at the meeting of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan on September 24, 2024, the head of state noticed: “The main goal of our economic policy is to consistently improve the well-being of the people. We are taking comprehensive measures to create new jobs in the regions of the country and ensure social protection of the population.” Based on these conceptual tasks, the trade unions of Turkmenistan contribute significantly and participate actively in the implementation of goals in the socio-economic, labor, cultural and humanitarian spheres. The National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan has always advocated for ensuring democratic human rights and freedoms, civil peace, economic and political stability, interethnic harmony, and a socially oriented market economy in the country.

At the same time, trade union organizations and their bodies at all levels carry out their activities in accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan, the Labor Code of Turkmenistan, the Law of Turkmenistan “On Trade Unions, Their Rights and Guarantees of Activity”, the Charter of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan, and generally accepted norms of international law.

Trade union bodies and organizations at all levels actively participate in the implementation of tasks, defined in the Program “Revival of the New Era of the Powerful State: “National Program for the Socio-Economic Development of Turkmenistan for 2022-2052”, Program of the President of Turkmenistan for the Socio-Economic Development of the Country for 2022–2028” for the implementation of radical modernization of all sectors of the national economy.

The “smart” city of Arkadag, dozens of other settlements, gas pipelines, high-speed highways, large innovative industrial and production complexes, modern healthcare, cultural, educational, sports facilities, and comfortable housing were built inspired by the labor of workers.

As it is known, in accordance with the Decree of the head of state, wages, pension, student and other payments are increased by 10 percent every year from January 1 in Turkmenistan as well as on March 8, International Women’s Day, women receive the cash gifts.

In the social sphere, a special place is given to the public associations of the country, including trade unions, which have their own long history. With the proclamation of state independence of Turkmenistan in 1991 and the change in its political and social structure, the socio-political role of trade unions of Turkmenistan also changed . This was facilitated by the fact that our country becamea full member of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

On April 25, 1995, the First Constituent Congress of the National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan (NCTUT) was held, which approved its Program and Charter. Each trade union in our country, by its organizational and legal form, is a public organization and consists of primary trade union organizations, industry trade unions and territorial associations of trade unions. The modern organization of trade unions in Turkmenistan is based on a combination of industrial-branch and territorial principles and, as of January 1, 2024, includes the following entities: 6641primary organizations, 14 industry trade unions, 5 velayat trade union associations, the trade union association of the city of Arkadag, 37 etrap and 3city trade union associations, as well as the National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan. Trade unions, being the most massive public organizations, are an integral part of the country’s political system.

Our country has ratified the fundamental Conventions of the International Labor Organization. Turkmenistan ratified and is a party to eleven conventions, including eight fundamental conventions of the International Labor Organization. Among them, the most important document for trade unions is ILO Convention No. 87 of July 9, 1948, “Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize”, which outline the rights of both worker and employers to join organizations of their own choosing without previous authorization and draw up a number of guarantees of freedom of their activities without interference from public authorities.

Article 17 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan establishes provisions that the state provides the necessary conditions for the development of civil society, and public associations are equal before the law. Article 44 of the Basic Law reads: “Citizens have the right to create political parties and other public associations operating within the Constitution and laws.”

At the same time, membership in trade unions does not entail any restrictions on the labor, socio-economic, political, personal rights and freedoms of citizens guaranteed by law. It is prohibited to condition the hiring, promotion, and dismissal of workers on membership in a particular trade union, joining or leaving it.

All trade unions in our country enjoy equal rights; they are free to determine their structure, goals, forms and methods of their activities. In accordance with the law, trade unions are independent of government bodies, political parties, other public associations, employers. They operate on the basis of the following principles: voluntariness, unity and solidarity in the interests of workers, election, equality, self-government, rule of law and accountability, transparency, responsibility of trade union bodies, their leaders for compliance with the Charter of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan.

In the Epoch of the Revival of the New Era of the Powerful State, the National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan advocates for further strengthening of a socially oriented state, conducts a constant dialogue with the legislative, executive and judicial branches of power, and employers’ associations. It coordinates the actions of industry trade unions and territorial associations of trade unions on issues of representation and protection of social and labor rights and interests of trade union members, and promotes the provision of legal guarantees for the activities of trade unions at the state level.

In this regard, it is appropriate to recall that ratification Convention of the International Labour Organization No. 98 of 1 July 1949 “Regarding the application of the principles of the right to organize and to conclude collective agreements”, objectively determined the introduction of the institute of social partnership in the Labor Code of Turkmenistan, thus our state attached special importance to the conclusion of collective agreements and collective contracts. The Law of Turkmenistan “On the Tripartite Commission for the Regulation of Social and Labor Relations” adopted in October 2018 became a clear indication that our country is implementing the generally recognized norms and principles of the ILO provisions in national legislation. T In the Epoch of the Revival of the New Era of the Powerful State his is not only a mechanism for protecting the rights of employees, but also a mechanism for the relationship between the state and civil society.

Currently, the General Agreement for 2022-2024 is in force, the main goal of which is to create a system of social partnership in the field of social and labor relations, resolution of labor disputes, employment, wages, a gradual increase in social guarantees for citizens, social protection of the most vulnerable groups of the population, ensuring an increase in the income of workers as the economy stabilizes, and the implementation of national programs for the socio-economic development of Turkmenistan.

The General Agreement is the basis for concluding sectoral and territorial agreements and collective agreements. According to Article 344 of the Labor Code of Turkmenistan, a collective agreement is a legal act regulating social and labor relations at an enterprise and concluded by employers and trade union committees of enterprises, institutions and organizations for a period of up to three years.

Collective agreements reflect mutual obligations of employers and employees on a wide range of issues, including: the form, system and amount of remuneration, monetary rewards, benefits, compensation, additional payments, the mechanism for regulating remuneration; employment, advanced training, conditions for the release of workers; duration of working hours and rest time; improvement of working conditions and labor protection for workers, including women and persons under 18 years of age; benefits for certain categories of workers.

It should be noted that in order to provide legal assistance and support to workers, the NCTUT has the qualified professional lawyers who provide consulting services to citizens on a daily basis free of charge. At the same time, trade union legal assistance is as accessible as possible for people; it could be consulted by phone, at a personal reception. In addition, free trade union legal receptions are held in all regions of the country.

A large and responsible area of practical work of trade unions of Turkmenistan at the present stage is the activity on further development and strengthening of national policy in the field of safety and labor protection through the improvement of legislative and regulatory legal acts. Trade unionscarry out public control over the creation of safe and healthy working conditions for workers, the formation of a high level of safe work culture, and the improvement of the effectiveness of the prevention of industrial injuries and occupational diseases. Trade union bodies at all levels everywhere seek timely and full compensation by the employer for damage caused to the employee while performing his or her work duties.

Trade union committees of manufacturing enterprises and organizations monitor the timely provision of free special clothing, footwear and other personal protective equipment to workers, and milk and tea to workers employed in hazardous work conditions. In accordance with the law, employers agree with trade union committees on the schedule of annual basic and additional paid vacations, and implement a set of measures to free women from heavy physical work and work with harmful working conditions. The trade union bodies sum up the main results in this area by the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which is celebrated annually on April 28.

Based on this constitutional provision that in our country the highest value of society and the state is a person, the National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan, local trade union bodies annually implement a set of practical measures - discounted vouchers are granted to restore the health and rest of workers and their families in country’s famous health resorts like “Arçman”, “Mollagara”, “Ýyly suw” and others.

Moreover, the NCTUT has its own successfully operating health resort: a 150-bed Children’s Health and Recreation Center “Beýik Serdaryň Ruhubelent Nesilleri”, located in the picturesque Geokdere gorge, as well as 1a 400-bed Health Center “Daýanç” in the “Avaza” National Tourism Zone for children and adults, which open all year round.

The National Centre of Trade Union, industry and territorial trade union bodies carry out work aimed not only at protecting the labour rights and socio-economic interests of young trade union members, but also at involving young people in all areas of trade union activity. They strive to widely promote the most qualified young trade union activists to leadership positions in trade union organizations at all levels, actively involving them in work to increase the motivation for trade union membership, in the development of agreements at all levels and collective agreements.

It should be noted that information work is also one of the priority areas in the work of the National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan, in not only protecting the social and labor rights of workers, conducting extensive cultural, mass, physical culture and health activity. Trade unions are widely represented in the information space of the country and in recent years the level of coverage of the multifaceted work of the NCTUT, its sectoral and territorial organizations in the media and social networks has significantly increased.

Cooperation with international organizations and foreign trade union associations, including the International Labor Organization is an integral part of the activities of the National Centre of Trade Union of Turkmenistan. Thus, representatives of the National Center of Trade Union as part of the government delegations of Turkmenistan regularly participate in the work of the main governing meeting – the International Labour Conference (ILC), held annually in the city of Geneva.