On December 8-9, a two-day round table was held at the Yerevan Place Hotel with the participation of ILO representatives, CTUA president and the presidents of branch republican unions, dedicated to the role of trade unions in upholding the right to safe and healthy working conditions through the effective application and promotion of the ratification of new fundamental ILO conventions in Armenia.
A welcome speech was made by Sergeyus Glovatskas, Head of the Europe and Central Asia at ILO/ACTRAV, Mikhail Pushkin, Deputy Director at Decent Work Technical Support Unit of ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Gocha Alexandria, Senior Labour Specialist at ILO/ACTRAV, and Elen Manaseryan, CTUA president.
Sergius Glovatskas presented decisions taken at the 110th International Labour Conference of the ILO in June 2022, and referred to the situation in different countries of the region.
Elen Manaseyan, CTUA president, spoke about Social Partnership in RA, introducing the developments of recent years, the legislative side, as well as the challenges existing in trade unions at the republican and branch levels.
"Unfortunately, social partnership has been going backwards in Armenia in recent years. Our efforts are aimed at changing the situation and ultimately bringing the partnership to life," she said.
Gocha Alexandria gave a speech on the new fundamental conventions N155 and N187, on the fundamental right of workers to safe and healthy working conditions, in addition to the 4 fundamental ILO conventions.
"Employee health and safe working conditions should be considered an investment for every employer, as they are the basis of success and productive work," underlined Gocha Alexandria.
ILO expert Victor Hugo Rico also joined the conference by video call, presenting th international standards for ensuring healthy and safe conditions at the workplace.
"Systemic solutions are a necessity. National policy, national system, national program - these are the three main strategic pillars on which the process of ratification and application of conventions should be based on, and the role of trade unions is very important in contributing to this," said Victor Hugo Rico.
The second day of the Round Table was dedicated to the presentation and discussion of issues in the field of social partnership and labour protection policy in Armenia with the deputy-minister of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia, as well as the representative of the Union of Employers.
Debates were held about the current situation in Armenia, the existing problems and challenges, recommendations/suggestions for their solution, as well as trade union agenda for social dialogue at the national level for 2023.