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FNPR Newsletter. October 25, 2024

25.10.2024

October 25, 2024

Dear colleagues,

We are sending you our next analytical material on the socio-economic situation and public-political life in the Russian Federation and the activities of the FNPR.

On October 11, 2024 the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre presented an updated rating of citizens' trust in politicians. The approval rate of President Vladimir Putin’s performance remains high at 74.4%. When asked a direct question on confidence in him personally, a positive answer was given by 78.0% of respondents compared to 60.3% confidence in the Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The ongoing attempts to undermine the Russian economy through a vast number of sanctions, which have already exceeded 16,000, remain in vain. Last September, the Ministry of Economic Development improved its forecast for the growth of the Russian economy: it is expected that Russia's GDP will increase by 13% over 2024-2027 with about 30% of its growth to be provided by investment. For the FNPR, it is significant that the GDP growth occurs with a simultaneous increase in wages (about 13% in 2024) and a decline in unemployment which remains at a historic low of 2.6%.

The trade unions, for their part, have consistently advocated the preservation and strengthening of social guarantees. At a regular session of the Russian Trilateral Commission on the Regulation of Social and Labour Relations the trade unions have proposed to introduce into the legislation of the Russian Federation a guarantee for the annual increase in purchasing power of the minimum wage.

It should be noted that economic growth and increase in wages take place under conditions of foreign political pressure and military operation. Western elites continue to provide the Ukrainian regime with massive political, financial, and military support, viewing it as a tool in their fight against Russia. Despite this, the Russian troops continue successful liberation of Donbas.

Against this background, terrorist attacks of Kiev regime on civilian settlements in Kursk and Belgorod regions on the territory of Russia continue unabated.

In January 2024, Russian trade unions launched a campaign during which employees voluntarily transfer one-day earnings to provide their colleagues - teachers, medical doctors, energy and transport workers, etc., working in the frontline areas, - with the means of protection against shelling and drone attacks. To date, several hundred million rubles have been collected to purchase thousands of bullet-proof vests and other protective equipment.

In 2024, trade union organisations of the Kherson Region established the Kherson Regional Association of Trade Unions, which then became part of the FNPR. Despite the ongoing fighting, regular shelling of enterprises and civilian casualties, trade union activists (as, indeed, in Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporozhye) are working to improve the well-being of union members, their social and labour protection. The trade union federations that have joined the FNPR are strengthening their branch organisations. The websites of the Trade Union Federation of the Donetsk People's Republic (https://fpdnr.ru/), the Trade Union Federation of the Lugansk People's Republic (https://fplnr.su/), the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Crimea (https://fnpk82new.ru/), the Sevastopol Association of Trade Union Organisations (https://profsevas.ru/) regularly provide information on their activity and real achievements in protecting their union members. On October 7, like all other FNPR affiliates, they took part in the nationwide trade union campaign to observe the World Day for Decent Work.

The FNPR carries out a large-scale humanitarian action to supply popular science and fiction literature to the libraries of Crimea, Sevastopol, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Over 150 thousand books have already been sent, another 100 thousand books will be sent before the end of the year.

A significant event for the Russian trade unions was the Sixth Intellectual Forum «Trade unions. 21st century. Image of the future» held in October in Sochi. About 200 trade union leaders from across the country discussed prospects for the development of the trade union movement. The meeting with the FNPR President Mikhail Shmakov lasted for over two hours. Among the participants was the chairman of the local trade union organisation of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant affiliated with the Nuclear Power and Atomic Industry Workers’ Union of Russia.

Attempts to international isolation of Russia and its trade unions have failed.

The 9^th Eastern Economic Forum was held on September 3-6 in Vladivostok under the motto "Far East 2030. Combining Strengths to Create New Potential". The Forum was attended by more than 7100 participants from 75 countries, including over 2500 Russian and foreign business representatives from more than 1100 companies, as well as more than 1500 members of international media.

The 13^th BRICS Trade Union Forum was held on September 7-8 in Sochi. It was organised by the FNPR under the Russian presidency of BRICS in 2024. The Forum delegates, representing national trade union centres of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran, made presentations on the socio-economic situation in their countries, discussed the current situation in the trade union movement and the prospects of future cooperation.

Welcoming the Forum participants, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in particular that "the ambitious socio-economic and human development goals facing all BRICS countries can be fully achieved only by consistently addressing the issues of employment, protection of the rights and interests of citizens, realisation of their creative potential and improvement of professional skills".

The most representative workers' organisations from the new BRICS countries - Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran - have officially joined the Forum. The delegates adopted the Sochi Declaration of the BRICS Trade Union Forum, as well as a document regulating the admission of new members. Upon completion of the Forum, its delegates took part in BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting.

Active work is carried out in Russia to support young people, their broad and safe integration into the labour market. Trade unions participate in the development and implementation of the youth policy. The FNPR is strongly opposed to a number of initiatives that seek to allow minors and women to work in harmful conditions.

On August 29, the Russian government approved the Strategy for the implementation of youth policy in Russia until 2030. The FNPR supported the inclusion of a provision on the development of mentorship, improvement of interaction between employers and training institutions. The FNPR considers it essential to disseminate the experience of incorporating youth policy sections into social partnership documents - tripartite contracts and agreements.

The FNPR General Council meeting adopted the decision to convene the 13^th (extraordinary) Congress of the Federation on October 29, 2024 in Moscow. It is planned to amend the FNPR Constitution to improve the organisation's management system. The FNPR President Mikhail Shmakov noted that today the Federation is actively involved in implementing ambitious tasks to ensure the socio-economic development of Russia. He stressed that "strengthening state regulation of wages should be one of the country's key strategic tasks. Raising wages in the public sector should stimulate wage growth in all sectors of the economy."