Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Russian Federation (Ratification: 1967)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2012 containing an outline of the coordinated approach taken by the federal Government and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to promote employment. The Government indicates that 87.1 billion roubles (RUB) were earmarked in 2010–11 for state programmes aimed at reducing tensions in the labour market and that 5.2 million persons participated in such programmes, creating 4.3 million permanent or temporary jobs. An additional 1.5 billion roubles were earmarked in 2012 towards the implementation of regional employment programmes. To further address labour market tensions, the Government utilizes annual workforce balance forecasting to assess the balance of labour supply and demand in the long term, assess the effectiveness of workforce training and increase the effectiveness of the State employment promotion policy. Occupational guidance and psychological support are provided to help unemployed persons choose the type of employment that best corresponds to their needs and capabilities. The unemployment benefits provided by the Government include stipends for vocational training, retraining and skills development, financial assistance and pensions. The Committee notes the State Programme on Employment Promotion for 2013–20, which aims to create legal, economic and institutional conditions to foster the development of an effectively functioning labour market and ensure social stability. It further notes the measures taken to improve employment generation which include paid social work programmes to provide temporary employment, job placement centres for institutions offering vocational training, and temporary employment programmes for minors aged 14–18, first-time jobseekers and unemployed persons. The Government also provides social adaptation programmes, relocation and moving assistance and self-employment support to the unemployed. The Committee notes that the unemployment rate dropped significantly from 7.5 per cent in 2010 to 5.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2012, with the number of registered unemployed persons dropping from 1.9 million to 1.2 million, and the economically active population increasing from 75.4 million to 75.9 million in that same period. In June 2012, the employment rate for people aged 15–72 was 65.1 per cent, with an employment rate of 70.5 per cent for men and 60.4 per cent for women. The Committee further notes that women accounted for an estimated share of 46.1 per cent of the unemployed, with young people aged 15–24 accounting for 13.1 per cent in 2012. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on how an active policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment has been implemented in the country and the impact of the measures taken to generate employment in low income areas. Please also include information on the measures taken to increase the participation of young people and older workers in the labour market, and on the results obtained by the measures adopted to remedy unemployment and underemployment among vulnerable categories of workers.

ILO technical assistance. The Committee notes with interest that the Government hosted and participated in the International High-Level Conference on Decent Work, held in Moscow in December 2012, signing three key agreements to expand cooperation with the ILO. It notes that the Programme of Cooperation for 2013–16 aims to promote further development of labour relations with the Government to achieve decent work. The key objectives of this programme include increasing employment opportunities and creating better jobs, ensuring safe working conditions and enhancing social protection, promoting international labour standards and strengthening social dialogue. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the measures taken as a result of the activities held with the ILO with respect to the matters covered by the Convention.

Coordination of education and training programmes with employment policy. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report on the organization of vocational training, retraining and skills upgrading aimed at increasing unemployed persons’ occupational mobility and competitiveness in the labour market. The Government indicates that the State employment service provides vocational training, retraining and skills upgrading for women on maternity leave. Programmes being developed to improve the quality of vocational training and education (both higher and continuing) include training up to 30 per cent of university students in applied baccalaureate programmes, establishing multifunctional applied skill centres to provide training to people who finish secondary school, forming an independent vocational training evaluation system, expanding the participation of businesses in managing and funding higher education institutions, and developing 800 professional standards in 2013–14 for popular occupations to meet modern labour market standards. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report further information on the action taken to ensure the coordination of education and vocational policies with employment policies. Please also provide an account of the results obtained in terms of access to lasting employment for the beneficiaries of the different programmes and measures implemented by the federal Government and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation of employment policy. In its previous observations, the Committee expressed its hope that the Government would provide information which will enable an examination of the manner in which the experience and views of the social partners have been taken into account in the formulation and implementation of an active employment policy. The Government indicates in its report that the employment promotion policy aims to coordinate the activities of public agencies, trade unions and other bodies representing workers and employers in developing and implementing measures to promote employment. One important objective referred to in the Programme of Cooperation for 2013–16 is improving the representativeness and developing the institutional and technical capacities, competencies and skills of the social partners to engage with governments and with each other in social dialogue. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report more specific information on the manner in which the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted, by the federal Government and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, on the matters covered by the Convention.