ISSN 1811-1351 # 3(46) SEPTEMBER 2011 Innovation economy and labour market: conference in Moscow “The Russian Federation got out of the Xirinachs, ILO Executive Director ployment policy should comply with the crisis and we expect the economic growth (Employment Sector). “However, despite country’s announced transition to innovative rates next year to be no lower than those this positive trends the country registers the de- development. First of all, this concerns the year,” Russian Deputy Health and Social cent work deficit, the employment growth is improvement of the workforce potential and Development Minister Maxim Topilin said created though low-quality jobs, the number effectiveness of tapping it. We need effec- in his opening remarks to the conference on of atypical labour contracts is on the rise and tive and innovative jobs.” Employment and Labour Market Strategies wide regional disparities remain.” in Russia in the Context of Innovation Jose Salazar-Xirinachs welcomed the Economy. development of a draft state employment The Conference took place in Moscow programme for 2011-2015. Following the on September 15 and was organized by the programme’s development the International Russian Health and Social Development Labour Organization recommended Russian Ministry and the International Labour Or- partners to further focus on the industry- ganization. oriented approach and the industrial devel- opment policy, to actively implement the The Conference heard the address by anti-crisis programme for single-industry Alexander Zhukov, Deputy Chairman of the cities, to support businesses, especially Government of the Russian Federation, who small and medium-sized enterprises, to expressed his strong confidence that the strengthen the role of social partners and to Moscow forum would contribute, both in further promote gender equality. substance and practice, to further promoting in Russia the ILO's Decent Work Agenda. The Executive Vice-President of the In his address to the Conference Jose Manuel Russian Union of Industrialists and Entre- Amid the crisis the country managed to Salazar-Xirinachs gave a detailed analysis of the preneurs, Fyodor Prokopov, named the slow situation on the Russian and international avoid serious downfalls on the labour mar- pace of new jobs creation and the growth of labour markets. ket. Moreover, unlike other countries Rus- informal employment as the main problems sia’s government implemented in full all for Russia’s labour market. The economic The Conference continued its work in social programmes, Topilin said. growth without jobs creation is a serious risk several sections. Delegates discussed the However, certain risks in the labour factor, he said. issues of coordinating the employment pol- sector pertain. Thus, according to the fore- “The state employment policy should be icy and the tasks for ensuring economic casts, in 10 years the number of the coun- targeted not only at the creation of jobs for growth; the role of internal and external try’s labour resources will shrink, therefore those unemployed,” the chairman of the migration on the labour market; human re- it is necessary to maximally engage all exist- Federation of Independent Trade Unions of sources competitiveness in the innovation ing resources and take further efforts to pro- Russia, Mikhail Shmakov, said. “The em- economy; and employment assistance meas- vide assistance with em- ures for citizens facing ploying different categories difficulties on the labour of citizens. market. In this respect Topilin The Moscow meeting especially pointed to the was an important step in new comprehensive pro- the preparation for an gramme Accessible Envi- international high-level ronment that for the first conference in Russia next time applies a comprehen- autumn focusing on the sive approach targeted at implementation of the the creation of jobs for ILO’s Decent Work disabled persons instead of Agenda. Russian Prime using a quota system for Minister Vladimir Putin this category of workers. offered to host this forum “After the economic in his address to the 100th downturn Russia has been session of the Interna- witnessing a recovery,” tional Labour Conference said Jose Manuel Salazar- in Geneva last June.■ ILO Director-General Role of multinational companies announces early departure in promoting decent work The Director-General of the ILO, Multinational companies have a positive federation of Trade Unions of Azerbaijan and Juan Somavia, announced that he will experience of ensuring decent working condi- the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs bring forward the date of his departure tions in Azerbaijan, said participants in the (Employers) as well as the dialogue between from his post to the second half of 2012 conference on the role of multinational employers and workers take on a significant due to strong personal reasons that re- companies in promoting decent work at the role in making concrete steps in this direc- quire him to be closer to his family. national level that took place at Azerbaijan’s tion.” Labour and Social Protection Ministry on “Multinational companies have consider- Somavia’s third term as Director September 29. able weight in Azerbaijan’s economy, sup- General was due to last until March The conference’s goal was to discuss the port different humanitarian projects and have 2014. creation of better working conditions for positive experience of promoting decent The Chilean Somavia is the first rep- every worker in Azerbaijan, including work- work,” Fizuli Alakbarov said. resentative from a developing country to ers of multinational companies. The confer- The minister underlined that along with head the ILO. He gave life to the concept ence also focused on cases of violation of the this some of these companies have not yet of “decent work”, and placed it at the republic’s labour legislation by some multi- created trade unions, not formulated social heart of the ILO’s agenda. Since then, national companies. partnership principles and not taken measures the ILO and its policy recommendations Ahead of the conference Azerbaijan’s to ensure professional advancement of local have been getting increasing political Labour and Social Protection Minister Fizuli workers. Moreover, multinational companies Alakbarov received the ILO delegation. Ri- employ foreign workforce, while the local support. carda McFalls, Chief of the ILO Multina- market provides skillful personnel as well, Between now and next September, tional Enterprises Programme, and Kamran and foreign workers are paid much higher Somavia will lead the work of the Inter- Fannizadeh, Director of the Programme on wages than local ones. national Labour Organization towards its Promoting the ILO Declaration of Fundamen- “To eliminate these factors it is necessary regional conferences in Africa and Asia, tal Principles and Rights at Work, specially to steadily build and maintain a dialogue with and take part in the G20 summit in No- arrived in Baku to take part in the conference. multinational companies through social part- vember. Fizuli Alakbarov noted that one of the nership principles,” he said. government’s priorities is to provide jobs for Ricarda McFalls praised Azerbaijan’s He will lead too the preparations for the republic’s citizens and over the past seven decent work promoting efforts and coopera- the ILO’s international conference next years Azerbaijan has created over 900,000 tion with the ILO in this area. June which will focus on youth employ- new jobs. She expressed confidence that the confer- ment, social protection and workers’ “A new target for Azerbaijan that moves ence would play an important role to actively rights in the context of the global eco- along a path of modern development is quali- involve multinational companies in promot- nomic crisis. Somavia will also push for tative improvement of the existing labour ing decent work at the national level, while action on the Global Jobs Pact launched force potential in accordance with economic the ILO would provide comprehensive sup- by the ILO in 2009 in response to the progress and decent work promotion,” the port in this issue.■ crisis. ■ minister said. “Cooperation between the Con- Source: www.1news.az, www.trend.az New occupational safety and health definitions in Russia’s Labour Code On July 18, Russian President Dmitry Russia has already ratified the ILO Con- Medvedev signed into law the modern defi- ventions No. 155 and No. 187, while many nition of occupational risk, the occupational enterprises in Russian regions have been risk assessment and management system. actively introducing occupational safety and The ILO Moscow OSH team has been health management systems ILO-OSH 2001 promoting these amendments through the (GOST 12.0.230 – 2007). ILO Occupational Safety and Health Con- At present, the ILO Moscow Office has vention, 1981 (No.155), Promotional Frame- been implementing the project on develop- work for Occupational Safety and Health ing and implementing occupational safety Convention, 2006 (No. 187) and the Guide- and health (OSH) system in North-West lines on occupational safety and health man- region of the Russian Federation to provide agement systems, ILO-OSH 2001 for sev- decent and safe work and on Occupational eral years. Safety and Health in Central Asia – Preven- “This means that the practical imple- tion at Work, Protection for Life.■ mentation of the ILO approach to preventive “We have already received many requests risk management* will start in Russia in- for holding risk