The President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov for the third time returned the bill «On Trade Unions», adopted by the deputies on October 20, 2021, to the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic with his objections. The Chairman of the Central Committee of the Mining and Metallurgical Trade Union, Eldar Tadzhibaev, told.
Previously, this law returned to Parliament in May and August 2021. According to the first objections of the head of state, the deputies were supposed to finalize the draft law and prepare an agreed version. At the same time, representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, the trade unions themselves and associations of employers were to be included in the composition of the conciliation commission. However, this was not done.
«The document was adopted by the deputies behind the scenes and sent for signing to the president again in its unfinished form. The bill, adopted on October 20, 2021, also violates the norms of the Constitution, ILO Conventions No. 87 and No. 98, establishes strict framework and conditions for the activities of representative bodies of workers. Moreover, the draft law includes a whole chapter that sets quite detailed conditions for the formation of working bodies, the timing and procedure for electing the governing bodies of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan and other trade organizations. These conditions should be established by the statutes of trade unions. An absolute monopoly of the federation as the only trade union body — the social partner of the highest state power of Kyrgyzstan — was established. Many articles are vague and contradict each other,» Eldar Tadzhibaev said.
He also noted that signing of this version of the law could affect the participation of Kyrgyzstan in the GSP + program, which gives the right to duty-free trade with the EU countries. The Cabinet of Ministers gave a negative conclusion to the document, many comments were not taken into account. Objections of the International Labor Organization, international trade union associations, and non-governmental organizations were sent to the country’s leadership. The Presidential Executive Office received about 70,000 signatures of citizens against the bill.
«We thank the President for the correct, balanced decision that meets the interests of the country and workers. I would also like to note that, as part of the inventory of legislation, the process of discussing the draft law of the Kyrgyz Republic «On Trade Unions» is underway, which will actually be aimed at improving and strengthening the institution of trade unions in Kyrgyzstan, at ensuring the openness and transparency of the work of trade unions and guaranteeing freedom of association in order to improve working conditions and lives of Kyrgyzstanis,» Eldar Tadzhibaev concluded.
