The International Labor Organization (ILO)

   Membership in the ILO - one of the oldest and leading international organizations - allowing Russia to study and apply the international practice of settling labor disputes, and develop social partnership (government - unions - entrepreneurs) to use the recommendations of the ILO to improve and regulate the labor market. Participation in the ILO is helping to develop based on the experience of the world labor laws, promotes entrepreneurship, including small businesses, the problems of employment.

   Interaction of the Russian Federation, the ILO carried out in accordance with regularly signed cooperation programs, determining its main direction.

   The ILO has provided advice to Russia to conduct an expert evaluation of social and labor legislation, implementation in practice of the concept of social partnership, the modular system of training of personnel working in production, improving employment, social protection and pension schemes, development of a new classification of occupations, the development of statistics in the workplace.

   An important step towards the convergence of our legislation with international law was the signing of 8 Feb, 2003 President of the Russian Federation Federal Law "On ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor (Convention number 182)". With the adoption of this law Russia became a party to all eight core ILO conventions regulating social and labor relations.

   Since 1959, in Moscow Branch of the ILO operates. In the early 90's. it was transformed into a regional office for the CIS countries. In September 1997 between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Agreement was signed on the ILO Office in Moscow, provides for the formation based on a multidisciplinary group of experts to assist in resolving socio-labor issues. Activities of the Bureau covers 9 countries in the CIS (except Ukraine and Moldova).

   Making the ILO Office in Moscow, has regional responsibilities for the Russia of significant practical importance, as this status allows it to more broadly and with greater autonomy to organize specific projects of technical assistance to the Russian regions, to more effectively coordinate the activities of the ILO in Russia and CIS countries.

   Russia actively participates in the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, established on the initiative of the ILO in 2002 (a member of Russia - Valentina Matvienko). In September 2004, in St. Petersburg, a meeting of the National Round Table, which was attended by representatives from business, labor organizations, government agencies, legal authorities and civil society organizations. The forum was timed to the publication of the World Commission report "A Fair Globalization: Creating opportunities for all".

   MFA of Russia, responsible for foreign policy aspects of the interaction of our country with the ILO is coordinating the work of Russian ministries and public organizations in this area. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MHSD, the Coordinating Council of Employers of Russia and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia participate in the governing bodies of the ILO, in conferences on topical issues of employment and socio-economic policy conducted in Russia by Moscow Bureau of the ILO.

   The organization has assisted in the preparation of the meeting of Ministers of Labor "G" in Moscow in October 2006 was, inter alia, an information paper prepared by the Office "The economic growth and decent work: strengthening the relationship".

   Russia is interested in the use of legislative experience and research capability of the ILO to promote the implementation of Russian economic reforms. At the same time, it seems appropriate to completely abandon the ILO technical assistance and to join to participate in extra-budgetary financing of projects of interest to us, especially in the CIS.

   Russia is closely following the work of the ILO supervisory bodies, and cooperates with them. In May and June 2005 in connection with the complaints of Russian trade unions at meetings of the ILC Committee on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations and the Committee on Freedom of Association Admsoveta was considering the situation with the implementation of Russia ILO Conventions number 87 and 98 (on freedom of association and right to bargain collectively negotiations). The supervisory bodies of the ILO came to the conclusion that there is some problems with the practice of labor law in Russia and made several recommendations.

   Currently, despite a favorable, overall, the situation, a number of conventions on which Russia should provide timely reports in order to avoid making the discussion of these issues at a higher level. These conventions include the following:

   The above number 87 and number 98 (among the recommendations of ILO - the need to lift the ban on strike by postal workers and rail services, providing more complete information on the measures taken against those guilty of discrimination in trade unions);

   Attaching great importance to the supervisory functions of the ILO, Russia, at the same time believes that consideration of such issues should be as objective as possible, not politicizing the debate, in strict accordance with the mandate of the Organization, and established procedures.