Project « Promotion of rights and representation of workers in informal labour relations »

1. Project «Promotionof rights andrepresentation ofworkers in informal labour relations» ITUC/PERC-FNV ATUC (AHIK)

2. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● beginning of the project● scale, tendencies and content ofinformal economy in Azerbaijan● awareness raising● working with social partners● organizingII. SOME ACHIEVEMENTS. III.SOME DIFFICULTIES.IV. RESULTS. CONCLUSIONS.RECOMMENDATIONS.

3. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● beginning of the projectFebruary 2008meeting of ATUC Congress delegation with President of Azerbaijan Republic

4. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● beginning of the projectMarch 2008Firstseminarfor the trade union activistswithsocial partners participation (Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Taxes, Ministry of Economy, Social Protection Fund, Employers Confederation)May – December 2008Working group forming, development of action plan, preparation ofbrochureoninformal economy, analyticreport

5. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● scale, tendencies and content ofinformal economy in Azerbaijan(with reference to analytic report)size ofinformal economybased on cost indicatorsofficialstatistics – 16 – 18 %ILOandinternationalexperts – 60 %based on number of workers officialstatistics – 8 – 10 % internationalorganizations – 60 %weight ofcovered bysocialinsurance - 41.4 %Tendency – reduction (consensus of opinionindifferentapproaches)

6. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● scale, tendencies and content ofinformal economy in Azerbaijan(with reference to analytic report)

7. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● scale, tendencies and content ofinformal economy in Azerbaijan(with reference to analytic report)Branch structure of informal economy agricultureconstructiontradeand human servicestransport

8. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● awareness raising publication ofreferencesources. 2008 – publication of ITUC brochure on informal economy with our addition in Azeri language2009 – publication ofbrochureonorganizingbasedon «Solidarnost» edition in Azeri language

9. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● awareness raising seminars, trainings, round table discussionsMarch 2008 – BakuNovember 2008 – Baku (working group)March 2009 – Ismailli (branch committee)April 2009 – Imishli (branchcommittee)February, June 2009 – Baku, round table discussions

10. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● awareness raising seminars, trainings, round table discussionsSeptember 2009 – Qah, regional workshop October 2009 – Baku, round table discussionsNovember 2009 – trainingsforbranch trade unions

11. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● awareness raising MASS MEDIAallactivities werewidely coveredin ournewspaper;information agencies «RIA –news» and «Trend», RepublicanTelegraphAgency;some of actionshighlightedby TV;terms of competitionfor journalistsandspecialists is ready

12. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● working with social partnerspracticallyallproject actions were carried outwithsocial partners participationnegotiationsonGeneral collectiveagreementrecommendationsaboutjointeffortsat the local level withinthe frameworkof the branchcollective agreementssuggestionsonlegislationimprovementagreementaboutnecessity oftripartite structure creation is available

13. I. PROJECT REALIZATION STAGES● organizingprimary trade unioninAssociation ofhotels (34 members). Conferenceandskeleton ofcollective agreement is preparingprimary trade union of 7 jeweller-handcrafter. Nowtheirmembershipincrease to 77sewingworkshopinHirdalan (60 members) andworkshopon mattress producing (15 members)primary trade unioninconstruction company «Accord» (3500 members), negotiationsfor collective agreement. We havearrangement withRussiancolleagues about working with migrantsin 2008- 2009 years 19 primary trade unions was createdinthe agroindustrial complex, from which 15 are in privatesector (members – 3500 and 2870, accordingly)about 300 bus-driverswere organized inGanca, in the near futuredrivers of new bus terminal in Baku is expected to be organized

14. II. SOME ACHIEVEMENTS awareness sharplyincreased, especially trade union activists knowledge we succeeded inattracting attention ofsocial partners series ofactionswere includedinGeneral collective agreement recommendations onbranch collective agreements were given workon legislation implementation have become more intensive activityinworkwith migrants is to be observed we made arrangementwith social partners aboutjointworkin frame of planned tocreation of tripartite structure

15. III.SOME DIFFICULTIES global crisis government, itsstructureswith difficultygo to thejoint actions («bureaucratcapitalism»), andsometimeshamper employers organizationnot for a while yet feel interest statistics – mainandhugeproblem working with migrants

16. IV. RESULTS. CONCLUSIONS.RECOMMENDATIONS.1. Informal economyinAzerbaijan, as in manyothercountries – isrealityandwidelyextend2. Problems areequallyimportantforeachofsocial partners. Joining efforts3. Statistics. Quantitativeestimationsessentiallydiffer. Wecapableandhave to organizejoint monitoring (Sponsor ?)4. Onlyadministrative actions is not enough5. Significance of informational-propagandistic campaign can’t be overestimated. It is necessary tocontinue workwithaccent on young peopleenteringinlabour market

17. IV. RESULTS. CONCLUSIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS6. As far as possible (is it possible?) to joint efforts of ITUCandILO. AnywayILOcapableandshouldgive proper weigh tothis questionincountry’sdecent work programmes7. There is an urgent need to givemuch moreprecise recommendationsfor statistics8. Cumulativeexperienceshouldperiodicallybe enlargedandbe brought to notice of us andnot only in theview of trade unions. Andhere we also needILO9. If this work will continue, thenmay beit would be well to reconsiderpriorities. Organizingis important, butmoreattentionmust be givento reducingandlegalization ofinformal economy10. As regards labour migrants, taking into account sizes, most probablywe need separate project

19. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION !