International Labour Organisation intends to boost social partnership in Russia

The International Labour Organisation /ILO/ intends to help Russia develop social partnership, said the ILO Director General Juan Somavia at a press conference following his visit to Russia.

He assessed the visit as "fruitful and useful". Somavia has had negotiations with the Russian Minister of Labour and Social Development Alexander Pochinok, Vice Premier Valentina Matvienko, trade unions and employers organisations representatives, MPs, the Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov and other social and political officials.

"Only cooperation between the government, trade unions and employers organisations can provide a real basis for the development of social partnership in the Russian society," said the ILO Director General.

Somavia highly approved of the new Labour Code of the Russian Federation and recalled that the ILO had supplied it with its comments which "helped it to comply with the corresponding international norms, standards and rules".

The ILO cooperates with the Russian Ministry for Economic Development on estimation of social consequences after Russia's joining the World Trade Organisation /WTO/. "I hope that the research will maximise the use of advantages and minimise negative social consequences from this process," Somavia said.

He also welcomed efforts made by the Russian side to eliminate the hard child labour and the number of guttersnipes in the framework of the project "Gutter-children" in St. Petersburg.