Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Kazakhstan (Ratification: 2000)

The Committee notes the observations on the application of the Convention by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) received on 1 September 2016 and of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (KNPRK) received on 25 November and 5 December 2016. It further notes the observations of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) received on 1 September 2015, which are of general nature. In its previous comments, the Committee had also noted the observations of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (CFTUK) (now, the KNPRK), as well as the Government’s failure to reply. The Committee deeply regrets that the Government still has not provided its comments in reply to these longstanding observations and firmly trusts that it will provide complete comments thereon without delay. The Committee also requests the Government to respond to the more recent observations of the ITUC and the KNPRK referenced above.

Follow-up to the conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards (International Labour Conference, 105th Session, May–June 2016)

The Committee notes the discussion that took place in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards (hereinafter the Conference Committee), in June 2016 concerning the application of the Convention. The Committee notes the Conference Committee’s request to the Government to: (i) amend the provisions of the Law on the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs in a manner that would ensure the full autonomy and independence of the free and independent employers’ organizations in Kazakhstan, without any further delay; (ii) amend the provisions of the Law on Trade Unions, in particular sections 10–15, which limit the right of workers to form and join trade unions of their own choosing; (iii) amend section 303(2) of the Labour Code so as to ensure that any minimum service is a genuinely and exclusively minimum one; (iv) indicate which organizations fall into the category of organizations carrying out “dangerous industrial activities” and indicate all other categories of workers whose rights may be restricted, as stipulated in section 303(5) of the Labour Code; (v) amend the Constitution and appropriate legislation to permit judges, firefighters and prison staff to form and join a trade union; (vi) amend the Constitution and appropriate legislation to lift the ban on financial assistance to national trade unions by an international organization; and (vii) accept ILO technical assistance to implement the above noted conclusions. The Conference Committee considered that the Government should accept a direct contacts mission (DCM) this year in order to follow-up on these conclusions.

The Committee notes the report of the DCM, which visited the country between 19 and 22 September 2016. It further notes the entry into force on 1 January 2016 of the new Labour Code.

Article 2 of the Convention. Right of workers and employers, without distinction whatsoever, to establish and join organizations. The Committee had previously urged the Government to take the necessary measures to amend its legislation so as to ensure that judges, firefighters and prison staff have the right to establish organizations for furthering and defending their interests in line with the Convention.

As regards the judiciary, the Committee notes the Constitutional Council Ruling No. 13/2 of 5 July 2000 providing for an official interpretation of paragraph 2 of Article 23 of the Constitution. According to the Council, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 23 of the Constitution, “judges, like all citizens of the State, have the right to freedom of association to further and defend their professional interests, as long as they do not use the associations to influence the administration of justice and to pursue political goals. … The prohibition imposed on judges to become members of trade unions provided for by … the Constitution does not imply the restriction on their right to establish other associations and membership in other voluntary associations”. The Committee notes from the report of the DCM, that the Union of Judges, while not a trade union registered pursuant to the Law on Trade Unions, it is an organization which represents the interests of judges and which can raise, and has raised in the past, issues relating to working conditions and pension.

Regarding prison staff and firefighters, the Committee notes from the DCM report that among the employees of the law enforcement bodies, only employees who have a (military or police) rank are prohibited from establishing and joining trade unions (sections 1(9) and 17(1)(1) of the Law on Law Enforcement Service (2011)), and that under the current system, prison staff and firefighters who have the status of officers are ranked. The Committee notes from the DCM and the Government’s reports that all civilian staff engaged in the law enforcement bodies can establish and join trade unions and that there were currently two sectoral trade unions representing their interests.

Right to establish organizations without previous authorization. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that pursuant to section 10(1) of the Law on Public Associations, which the Government had previously indicated was also applicable to employers’ organizations, a minimum of ten persons was required to establish an employers’ organization, and urged the Government to amend it so as to lower the minimum membership requirement for establishing an employers’ organization. The Committee notes from the DCM report that employers’ organizations are established as non-commercial entities pursuant to the Law on Non-Commercial Organizations, which allow, under section 20, for an organization to be created by one person, natural or juridical.

The Committee recalls that following the entry into force of the Law on Trade Unions, all existent unions had to be reregistered. The Committee notes from the DCM report that some of the KNPRK affiliates have encountered difficulties with the (re)registration. It further notes with concern the most recent ITUC and KNPRK communications, referring to cases of denial of registration. The Committee understands that unregistered or not reregistered trade unions are currently under the threat of being liquidated. Noting that the DCM was assured that the Ministry of Justice together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Development would look into this matter and assist the unions, as relevant, the Committee trusts that all the authorities will provide the necessary assistance to the organizations concerned. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on all measures taken in this respect and to reply to the ITUC and KNPRK allegations.

Right to establish and join organizations of their own choosing. The Committee had previously requested the Government to amend the following sections of the Law on Trade Unions:

• -sections 11(3), 12(3), 13(3) and 14(4), which require, under the threat of deregistration pursuant to section 10(3), the mandatory affiliation of sector based, territorial and local trade unions to a national trade union association within six months following their registration, so as to ensure the right of workers to freely decide whether they wish to associate or become members of a higher-level trade union structure; and
• -section 13(2), which requires a sector-based trade union to represent no less than half of the total workforce of the sector or related sectors, or organizations of the sector or related sectors, or to have structural subdivisions and member organizations on the territory of more than half of all regions, cities of national significance and the capital, with a view to lowering this threshold requirement.

The Committee notes from the DCM and the Government’s reports that following the 2016 Conference discussion, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development established a roadmap and held a tripartite meeting to discuss outstanding comments of the Committee of Experts. On the basis of the discussions, a Concept Note on the amendment of the legislation has been prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Justice. The Committee welcomes that pursuant to point 2 of the Concept Note, the adoption of a draft law “stems from the need to improve the legislation in force with the purpose of better regulating social relationships related to trade union activities and complying with international labour standards enshrined in Convention No. 87”. The Committee notes that in agreement with all three trade union centres, the Government intends to amend the Law on Trade Unions so as to: (i) lower the minimum membership requirement from ten to three people in order to establish a trade union; and (ii) simplify the registration procedure. Regarding the obligation imposed on a trade union to be affiliated to a higher level structure and the thresholds (sections 11(3), 12(3), 13(2) and (3), and 14(4) of the Law on Trade Unions), the Committee notes from the DCM report that while several actors agreed that this constituted a restriction on trade union rights, it was explained that the current circumstances in the country justified it. The Government considers that by obliging trade unions at the lower level to affiliate to trade unions of a higher level, the system allowed all trade unions to access political and economic decision-making processes and at the same time, engaged responsibility of the higher-level trade union structures towards their member organizations. The Government further considers that the trade union movement should be a system where all parts were linked, especially during the transitional stage, so as to ensure that trade unions become social partners capable of protecting ordinary workers. The Committee notes that the DCM observed that pluralism existed in the country and that there were currently three trade unions at the level of the Republic, 32 sectoral trade unions, 23 territorial trade unions and 339 local trade unions. While taking due note of this information, the Committee once again recalls that the free exercise of the right to establish and join organizations implies the right of workers to freely decide whether they wish to associate or become members of a higher-level trade union structure and that the thresholds requirements to establish higher-level organizations should not be excessively high. The Committee, therefore, encourages the Government to engage with the social partners in order to review sections 11(3), 12(3), 13(2) and (3), and 14(4) of the Law on Trade Unions so as to bring it into full conformity with the Convention. It requests the Government to provide information on all measures taken or envisaged in this regard.

Law on the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs. The Committee had previously urged the Government to take measures to amend the Law on the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, so as to eliminate all possible interference by the Government in the functioning of the Chamber and so as to ensure the full autonomy and independence of the free and independent employers’ organizations in Kazakhstan. The Committee recalls that the Law calls for the mandatory affiliation to the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs (NCE) (section 4(2)), and, during the transitional period to last until July 2018, for the Government’s participation therein and its right to veto the NCE’s decisions (sections 19(2) and 21(1)). The Committee further notes from the DCM report the difficulties encountered by the Confederation of Employers of Kazakhstan (KRRK) in practice, which stem from the mandatory membership and the NCE monopoly. The DCM noted, in particular, that the KRRK considered that the accreditation of employers’ organizations by the NCE and the obligation imposed in practice on employers’ organizations to conclude an annual agreement (a model contract) with the NCE, meant, for all intents and purposes, that the latter approved and formulated the programmes of employers’ organizations and thus intervened in their internal affairs. While noting with regret that, according to the information received by the DCM, there are no immediate plans to amend the Law, the Committee welcomes the Government’s request for the technical assistance of the Office in this respect. In light of the above, and bearing in mind the serious concerns raised during the discussion of the application of this Convention in the Conference Committee, the Committee urges the Government to take measures without delay to amend the Law on the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs with the technical assistance of the Office.

Article 3. Right of organizations to organize their activities and to formulate their programmes. Labour Code. The Committee had previously requested the Government to indicate which organizations fall into the category of organizations carrying out “dangerous industrial activities” for which strikes were illegal under section 303(1) of the Labour Code by providing concrete examples. It further requested the Government to indicate all other categories of workers whose rights may be restricted, as stipulated in section 303(5) of the Code and to amend section 303(2) so as to ensure that any minimum service is a genuinely and exclusively minimum one and that workers’ organizations can participate in its definition.

The Committee notes that section 176(1)(1) of the new Labour Code (previously 303(1)(1)) describes cases where a strike shall be deemed illegal. Under paragraph 1 of this section, strikes shall be deemed illegal when they take place at entities operating hazardous production facilities. The Committee notes sections 70 and 71 of the Law on Civil Protection listing hazardous production facilities, as well as Order No. 353 of the Minister of Investment and Development Order (2014), pursuant to which, determination of whether certain production facilities are hazardous is carried out by the enterprise in question. The Committee notes from the DCM report that the KNPRK pointed out that legal strikes did not take place in Kazakhstan as almost any enterprise could be declared hazardous and the strike therein illegal. Moreover, requests to conduct a strike were submitted to the executive bodies and were denied in practice. In these circumstances, section 176(2) of the Labour Code, according to which, “at railways, civil aviation … public transport … and entities providing communication services, strikes should be allowed to the extent that the required services were provided on the basis of prior agreement with a local executive body”, did not allow for strikes in practice. The KNPRK further pointed out that according to section 402 of the Criminal Code, which entered into force on 1 January 2016, an incitement to continue a strike declared illegal by the court was punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and in certain cases (substantial damage to rights and interest of citizens, etc.), up to three years of imprisonment. The Committee notes that the Government considers that the above provisions of the Labour Code could be made more explicit as to which facilities were considered to be hazardous instead of referring to another piece of legislation. The Committee notes, in particular, that according to the abovementioned Concept Note, “the Labour Code does not specify the conditions under which a strike action at entities operating hazardous production facilities shall be deemed illegal, which restricts the right of workers to freedom of action. Taking into account the implications of a strike action at entities operating hazardous production facilities and possible production process failures and accidents as a result, it is proposed to make the provision more concrete by introducing a prohibition to strike in such facilities in cases where industrial safety is not fully guaranteed.” The Committee welcomes the intention of the Government to amend the Labour Code regarding the right to strike and recalls that, rather than imposing an outright ban on strikes in certain sectors, negotiated minimum services may be imposed to guarantee the safety of persons and equipment. The Committee expects that the necessary legislative amendments will be made in the near future in consultation with the social partners and technical assistance of the Office so as to address the outstanding concerns of the Committee regarding the right to strike. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on all measures taken or envisaged in this respect.

Article 5. Right of organizations to receive financial assistance from international organizations of workers and employers. The Committee had previously requested the Government to take steps to amend section 106 of the Civil Code, as well as article 5 of the Constitution, so as to lift the ban on financial assistance to national trade unions by an international organization. The Committee notes from the DCM and the Government’s reports that only “direct” financing (for example, payment of salaries of trade union leaders by international organizations, purchase of cars and offices) was prohibited in order to safeguard the constitutional order, independence and territorial integrity of the country. However, there was no prohibition imposed on trade unions to participate in and carry out international projects and activities (seminars, conferences, etc.) together or with the assistance of international workers’ organizations. Thus, as noted by the DCM, currently, there was no intention to amend article 5(4) of the Constitution. While noting that all three trade union centres confirmed that in practice, they could benefit from international assistance as long as it was not through a “direct” financing and that there was a general agreement that banning the “direct” financing was necessary, the DCM noted that the legislation could be amended so as to make it clear that joint cooperation projects and activities could be freely carried out. The Committee, therefore, requests the Government to adopt, in consultation with the social partners, specific legislative provisions which clearly authorize workers’ and employers’ organizations to benefit, for normal and lawful purposes, from the financial or other assistance of international workers’ and employers’ organizations. It requests the Government to provide information on all measures taken or envisaged in this regard.