The Federation of the Republic of Tatarstan Trade Unions has today held the 24th report and election conference in Kazan. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and the Russian Federation of Independent Trade Unions chairman Mikhail Shmakov took part in it.

The Tatarstan Federation of Trade Unions chairwoman Tatiana Vodopyanova delivered a keynote report, noting the federation was one of the largest trade union associations in Russia and near abroad, including about 900 thousand people. The movement’s younger section has been reinforced, which is pleasing, she said. This year, it has increased 25 percent due to new admissions, totalling 270 thousand, or 36 percent of the total union members.

According to her, the concerted effort, aimed to promote civilised relations and group contract regulation, has allowed building an efficient system of protecting labour rights at all the levels of social partnership. Over the past 5 years, the average salary in the republic increased 2.4-fold, its purchasing capacity growing 1.3-fold. The living standard has improved 1.5 times.

The financial and economic crisis made the trade unions focus on legal activities, since the crisis resulted in tens of thousand of officially unemployed, mass layoffs, multiple breaches of the labor law. The number of offences has over the past 5 years increased 2.5 times, from 1,000 in 2006 to 2.5 thousand in 2010, 80 percent of them caused by the crisis.

The trade unions leaders voiced the main concerns of employees: salary rates, minimum wage readjustment, unemployment benefits, increase in the energy and housing and utilities costs, and a lack of kindergarten vacancies.

While welcoming the conference, Rustam Minnikhanov said “Tatarstan should evolve into a region of sustainable, balanced and harmonious development, with comfortable conditions for businesses”. The republic’s trade unions have always proportionately responded to socio-economic changes. The concerted effort of the state and trade unions during the global crisis allowed to relieve the gravest problems on the job market and take unemployment under control.

R. Minnikhanov went on to offer gratitude to the trade unions, wished the members good health and wellbeing, and presented state awards to union activists.