Azerbaijan strengthens ties with labour organizations
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
The Executive Committee of the General Confederation of Trade Unions convened in Baku on October 22.
Addressing the event, the President of the General CAonfederation of Trade Unions and vice-president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions Mikhail Shmakov said about 10 national trade unions associations and 30 international trade unions organizations have united under the General Confederation.
Shmakov appreciated the auspicious conditions created for the development of the trade unions in Azerbaijan. "The volume of the GDP, per capita income increased in Azerbaijan and it keeps going on. Of course, all these contribute to improve the social conditions in the country. Trade unions are well-organized in Azerbaijan," he said.
Shmakov underlined the meeting in Baku as an important event to carry out experience exchanges and discuss ways of improving the trade unions' activities.
Chairman of Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation, Member of Parliament Sattar Mehbaliyev highlighted the history of the trade unions in Azerbaijan. He hailed the role of the General Confederation of Trade Unions in strengthening the mutual ties between trade union organizations.
Mehbaliyav has also touched upon the activities of Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation, saying it keeps friendly relations with other trade unions organizations of the General Confederation. "We have joint efforts to resolve the global problems. Azerbaijan strengthens its ties with the International Labour Organization by joining its regular actions," Mehbaliyev noted.
He added that the positive changes in Azerbaijan's labor market continue on based on regular reforms. "About 100,000 new workplaces have been created in the country in the first nine months of this year. The total number of the newly opened workplaces increased to 1,3 million over the last ten years. Current unemployment rate in Azerbaijan is 5 percent," Mehbaliyev said.
Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation was established on February 5 in 1993. The organization stands for the representation and protection of the labor, social-economic rights of the trade unions' members in the country. The confederation have almost 11,000 organizations, 3 trade unions federations and 1,6 million members throughout Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan joined the General Confederation of Trade Unions in 2001.