Discussed the effectiveness of interaction between the executive authorities, employers, and trade unions

The meeting of the regional council on labor and social issues on March 28 was dedicated to analyzing the implementation in 2016 of the agreement between the regional executive committee, the regional employers' union, and the regional trade union association.

According to Irina Matveeva, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Labor, Employment, and Social Protection of the Regional Executive Committee, positive results have been achieved in a number of indicators approved in the agreement. Among the regions of the republic, Vitebsk region achieved the highest level in terms of the share of innovative products in the total volume of shipped products (32.8%). In terms of the ratio of finished goods inventory to average monthly production volume, the region ranks 2nd in the country (40.4%). The target for commissioning housing was met (304.7 thousand sq. m. with a plan of 288 thousand sq. m.). 4231 people were employed in newly created jobs, against a target of 3300. Production of electric motors and generators, knitted goods, fiberglass, flax fiber, vegetables, milk, and the number of pigs, cows, etc. increased.

At the same time, the growth rate of gross regional product for 2016 was 93.9% compared to the 2015 level. For this reason, a number of organizations experienced difficulties in paying wages within the established deadlines. As of January 1 of this year, 58 organizations had arrears totaling 2.2 million rubles, mainly agricultural organizations. Due to insufficient utilization of production capacities and other factors, 36.5 thousand employees, or 9.8% of the average monthly number, were on forced part-time employment, and 15.8 thousand (4.2%) were on full-day downtime. This problem has not been resolved in the industry and construction sectors.

Viktor Lugovtsov, Deputy Chairperson of the Regional Trade Union Association, reported that 90 primary organizations were created in 2016.

of trade unions, 96 collective agreements were concluded for the first time. However, only 30% of the enterprises registered (309) joined the trade union ranks, and 110 work collectives, which have primary trade union organizations (including 25% from the real economy sector), operate without collective agreements.

Trade union labor technical inspectors identified 8,600 violations, 815 submissions and recommendations were issued to employers, and the operation of 20 units of equipment was suspended. At the same time, 19 workers died, 99 were severely injured. At the request of the trade unions, employers eliminated 5,700 violations of labor legislation, and employees were reimbursed over 720 thousand rubles of illegally withheld or unpaid wages.

The Chairman, Director of the Executive Directorate of the Regional Union of Employers, Vladimir Turavin, spoke about the participation of representatives of the real economy sector of the Vitebsk region in investment and economic forums, cooperation with foreign colleagues, and assistance to enterprises in the region in finding new sales markets for manufactured products. Over 70% of its products are exported to the Russian Federation.

Steps are being taken to establish effective contacts with the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions of the Russian Federation, and to further develop relations with Tver. For more effective work in all areas, a coordination council has been created from representatives of the regional council of employers, the Vitebsk FEZ, the regional marketing center, the trade and industrial chamber branch, and other interested parties.

The meeting also addressed social responsibility during the restructuring of enterprises, and guarantees for extending contract terms for highly qualified employees with long-term service at the same workplace. Minimizing negative consequences is possible through the creation of newof jobs, staff retraining, assistance in job searching with unemployment benefits, etc. This is relevant in the context of implementing Decree No. 3 "On Preventing Social Dependency."

Summing up the discussion, First Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Gennady Grebnev emphasized that the common goal for the near future is to increase the efficiency of production and wages for employees in all sectors. In conclusion, the winners of the regional competition among enterprise managers, developers, and designers for the past year were awarded.

GALINA SHPAKOVSKAYA, Photos by Anton Stepanishchev, "Vitebskiye vesti".