GCTU COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, April 27, 2015
The Council of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) held its regular session 15 April 2015 in Moscow’s Palace of Labour.
The Council reviewed the Confederation’s performance since its previous session last April, and urged the affiliates to continue their efforts to realise the principle "Reliable Guarantees to Decent Work and Social Justice!" as set by the 7th Congress of the GCTU. In doing so, the unions must see to it that the implementation of post-crisis economic recovery measures does not lead to a social rollback, and that problems arising are not solved at the expense of employees and pensioners. It is necessary to save jobs, work collectives, and decent work remuneration with fair taxes. Council stressed the need to keep the unity of the GCTU ranks, and strengthen fraternal international and inter-sectoral workers’ solidarity.
The leaders of the national trade union centres of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Tajikistan, and several Trade Union Internationals informed the Council members of the current socio-economic situation in their respective countries and industries.
Following the discussion, Council recommended that the affiliates should further concentrate on building support for the real economy, stimulating employment and increasing domestic demand. Overcoming decent work deficits should be a most important anti-crisis measure.
The unions should step up their struggles for minimum wages not lower than the subsistence minimum, and support the measures to curb the growth of super-high incomes and, above all, the bonuses and awards given to the top managers of banks and enterprises, highly paid civil servants and the managers of state corporations. Simultaneously, the trade unions will insist on balanced wage rate and pricing policies to be conducted by the governments.
The Council approved the joint Appeal by the GCTU and the Coordinating Council of the Community of Public Organisations of Veterans (Pensioners) of New Independent States in connection with the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The anniversary celebrations, as well as the preparations for them, will provide new opportunities for strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding and trust among the peoples who for decades lived in one and the same country, defended it, raised it from the ruins, and supported one another as close relatives.
The GCTU Council also adopted an Appeal in connection with the International Workers' Day, the 1st of May.