APPENDIX 10
Memorandum submitted by the Trades Union
Congress
INTRODUCTION
The TUC has played an active international role
since its first Congress in 1868. For many years the TUC has played
a leading role in assisting trade union organisations in developing
countries in the Commonwealth to build strong, representative,
independent trade union bodies. During the years of the Cold War
the TUC maintained contacts with national trade union centres
in countries of central and eastern Europe despite their role
as transmission belts for the Communist governments. In 1980 the
TUC supported the emerging independent trade union Solidarnosc
in Poland and continued to support it during the years of martial
law and imprisonment of its leaders. In 1989, with other trade
union organisations in Europe and the West the TUC welcomed the
political changes which came to the countries in central and eastern
Europe and the republics of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia
and sought, within and through the international trade union movement,
to look for ways in which to assist the enormous transition process
which faced the trade unions in those countries. The changes in
the region came at a time when the neo-liberalism of Margaret
Thatcher was at its height and the economic transition was embarked
upon as a process of changing ownership of the means of producing
the wealth of the countries without adequate and proper consideration
of the creation of democratic civil institutions and social and
economic infrastructures. As a result, in many countries of the
region and trade unions—with the help of western trade union
organisations—have played a vital roe in the transition
process.
The International Confederation of Free Trade
Unions (ICFTU) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD
(TUAC) to both of which the TUC is affiliated, called on governments
to co-ordinate and co-operate in their provision of assistance
to the CEE governments in order to enable a peaceful transition
from centrally-planned economies to market economies. In the event
the development in those countries has been and continues to be
uneven and there are still serious economic problems in even the
most advanced of them—the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary.
It is important to point out that the trade union organisations
in the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary have been in favour
of transparency and reform and have played an extremely positive
role in the transition process. In the Czech Republic the national
trade union centre has been pointing out that the International
Monetary Fund analysis has been mistaken and that view was finally
accepted by the IMF in the conclusions of its Staff Visit there
last November. There are no countries in the region where the
issue of trade union assets has not played an important part in
trade union relations. In the Transcaucasus the assets for the
most part remain with the single (or larger) national trade union
centre and in many cases they are still being used as a social
benefit for trade union members. While it is true to say that
civil society is imperfect it is the case that trade unions have
to a large extent managed to overcome the apathy of their members
caused by the hangover of the old system of government and in
the light of their old negative reputations they have made good
progress.
The ICFTU has concentrated considerable resources
on the issue of human and trade union rights in the region and
in the same context promotes the key trade union role in monitoring
corruption, which is widespread in many countries of the region.
The trade unions are keen to promote transparency to counter corruption,
in line with the recent OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of
foreign public officials which will permit OECD and other countries
to move in a co-ordinated manner to adopt national legislation
making it a crime to bribe foreign public officials.
The TUC has had access to resources from the
Know How Funds and has been able to provide education and training
in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Albania,
Romania, Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Bosnia and Croatia.
The TUC's first contacts with the trade union organisations in
those countries were made through the ICFTU although in many of
them the previous relationship between the TUC and the national
trade union centre continued after the centres had been reformed
and rebuilt (eg Czech Republic and Hungary). There are representative
trade unions in all of the countries under consideration by the
Foreign Affairs Committee and the ICFTU is in direct contact with
all of them. The TUC has had contact with those in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
and Georgia.
In preparing this presentation of trade union
movements in the Transcaucasus and Central Asia the TUC has not
gone into the detail of the general historical, economic, and
political development which may be better reported by other sources.
The TUC has access to detailed reports on all of the countries
in the region which could be made available to the Committee should
they wish to see them. By examining the developments in central
and eastern European countries we can see successes and failures
of measures to deal with the economic and social transition and
governments and trade unions can endeavour to repeat the successes
and avoid the failures in the Transcaucasus and Central Asia.
The role of trade unions as independent representative
organisations of working people is vital to the functioning of
an efficient market economy and national trade union centres in
most industrialised as well as developing countries recognise
the TUC as the voice of working people in the UK. The TUC has
always provided its expertise and wide experience in trade union
organisation and education wherever in the world those have been
requested. In the transition countries of central and eastern
Europe and former centrally planned economies the role of trade
unions is vital if the transformation is to be completed with
the consent and agreement of working people. Trade unions remain
the most efficient way of avoiding the exploitation of working
people and the trade unions in the Transcaucasus and Central Asia
are prepared and able to play a constructive role in the transition
process.
ARMENIA
In December 1988 following the massive earthquake
in Armenia the TUC General Council were addressed by the Soviet
Ambassador about relief and reconstruction needs. They agreed
an immediate contribution of £15,000 to the Red Cross for
humanitarian aid. At the same time an appeal was launched which
raised £30,000, over the next few years and was donated to
the UK Committee for UNICEF for their 1995 country programme in
Armenia. After the changes of 1989 the TUC maintained contact
with the Armenian trade unions through the General Confederation
of Trade Unions (GCTU) of the CIS in Moscow, and in July 1992
the President of the Armenian Trade Union Confederation (ATUC),
Mr Martin Haroutiunian, visited the TUC, accompanied by a representative
of the GCTU.
Since that time the TUC and the ATUC have exchanged
correspondence but there has been no direct co-operation. Armenia
remains very isolated as a result of the political changes and
the civil war in Nagorny Karabakh, and also as a result of the
lack of reconstruction following the earthquake. President Gorbachev
made promises that there would be large amounts of aid but political
change overtook his plans. The ICFTU had contacts with the Armenian
trade union movement when a representative visited Yerevan in
March 1995 and reported that Armenia had suffered the greatest
drop in living standards of all the newly independent states of
the CIS, that almost a third of the population had emigrated,
and that in collective bargaining the workers were forced to accept
candles, matches and vegetable oil instead of wages. The ATUC
claimed at that time to represent 93 per cent of all workers and
students and to maintain good relations with the GCTU. The ICFTU
is also in touch with the Federation of Independent Trade Unions
of Armenia and will be sending a mission to Armenia later this
year to look at the trade union situation there.
AZERBAIJAN
The new constitution of Azerbaijan adopted in
November, 1995 provided a legal basis for the development of democratic
institutions but they are yet to be developed with the President
having far-reaching powers over both legislative and judicial
bodies. The Government of Azerbaijan wishes to establish closer
ties with Europe and a number of measures are being taken to bring
it more into line with the standards of the Council of Europe.
For example, capital punishment was abolished recently and war
deserters pardoned. The political stability brought about by President
Aliyev paved the way for economic reforms, and contacts were made
with western governments and companies. The Government of Azerbaijan
is looking for close co-operation with the EU, the USA, Turkey,
and Iran where there is a substantial Azeri minority (about 30
per cent of the population are of Azeri origin). The transition
programme has avoided the use of shock therapy and privatisation
of state enterprises began only in 1998. The Government is trying
to ensure that the economy does not rely exclusively on oil.
The social situation is traditionally patriarchal/hierarchical
and it will take probably a generation for the economic reforms
to create an environment where different group interests can be
represented through a genuine democratic multi-party system. At
the moment it seems that party politics are more based on clan
and personality: both the President of the Republic and the top
leadership of the national trade union centre come from Nakhichevan.
The President of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation, Mr
Sattar Mehbaliyev, has a great deal of support and his close contact
with the President of the Republic probably enhances this support.
President Aliyev has reassured the unions that they will keep
their assets and many of their old prerogatives and he supports
the trade union struggle for social protection and trade union
rights. The leadership of the Confederation clearly wants independence
from Moscow and wishes to move closer to Europe. Azerbaijan has
been extremely isolated at the international level and it is important
to help them break out of this isolation. The leadership is very
keen to modernise the organisation but they lack know-how and
face a very traditional constituency which still relates to the
old union role at enterprise level of providing social benefits.
The ATUC is seeking affiliation with the ICFTU and closer contacts
with the TUC. The ICFTU and international trade secretariats have
already provided help to the unions in their collective bargaining
with major oil producing companies like BP and Shell which are
providing employment and investment there.
The Congress of the Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation
was held in Baku in February 1998. It was the first congress since
the ATUC had changed its structures and name in line with the
new status of Azerbaijan as an independent republic in 1991. According
to the Constitution of the Confederation, Congresses are held
every 5 years. The TUC was invited to attend and sent a message
of greetings. The ICFTU was represented there.
Trade union relations and assistance activities
The ICFTU set up a Co-operation Programme in
1996 when both the ATUC and the ICFTU submitted a co-operation
project to the EU TACIS (The European Union Transition Assistance
for the CIS) Democracy Programme. The general objective of the
project was to promote a state of law, and respect for human rights
and political democracy. This also implied participation in the
setting up of social institutions capable of contributing to the
building of a new civil society. Seminars were organised aimed
at defining trade union rights in the context of basic civil rights
and internationally-recognised labour standards. A clear understanding
of the conventions and the recommendations of the International
Labour Organisation was considered necessary to lay the foundations
for tripartism. Moreover trade union rights being an integral
part of human rights, democratic trade union institutions have
a key role to play in promoting general democratic practices particularly
in all levels of industrial relations.
The programme was implemented with the assistance
of ICFTU affiliates including the TUC which provided a tutor to
conduct one seminar in February 1998, focusing on the role of
trade unions at the enterprise level (with a particular focus
on privatised enterprises). Mid-term evaluation of this project
stressed the importance of a continuation and an extension of
the co-operation to include trade union strategies in privatised
enterprises, workers shareholding, trade union educational methods
and programmes, and the role of the enterprise trade union leaders
in collective bargaining.
GEORGIA
Georgia has had a particularly difficult transition
period in terms of setting up democratic institutions and also
of developing a market economy. The rouble crisis has caused further
problems in a country which continues to face deep industrial
recession although at present there is a precarious stability.
Beyond the economic assistance provided by the European Union
and the International Monetary Fund, the democratic consolidation
of the country's institutions should be considered as one of the
essential conditions for any prospect of sustainable development.
Following a period of internal difficulties
which accompanied the country's independence, the Georgian trade
union movement is today united in one general confederation: the
Georgian Trade Unions Amalgamation (GTUA). This confederation,
which brings together the various professional unions in the country,
chose to make internal reforms in order to adapt its functioning
to the demands of the market economy and democratic values. The
GTUA President is Mr Irakli Tugushi and he and other leaders of
the organisation confirm their principle of independence of political
parties and of the Government and they have made an effort to
develop international contacts. One of the main difficulties for
the GTUA in the implementation of its reform policy is the lack
of experience of its professional, regional and company levels
in developing independent trade union representation because of
the legacy of the Soviet system. There is a serious and pressing
need for assistance to the trade union movement in Georgia. There
is widespread corruption and this month there has been an outrageous
court judgement that ownership of all the GTUA properties should
go to a former leader of the GTUA who no longer represents any
part of the trade union movement. Mr Tugushi, who has already
survived one assassination attempt, has attempted to negotiate
fair treatment for the trade unions from President Shevardnadze
but it is not yet clear whether those negotiations have been successful.
Trade union relations and assistance activities
A co-operation programme, in the context of
the EU TACIS Democracy Programme, was implemented in 1996-97 by
the ICFTU, with the help of several of its member organisations
from Western Europe and North America. The GTUA has expressed
its desire to become a member of the ICFTU. Following the initiative
of the ICFTU the TUC provided a tutor who designed and delivered
two seminars in Tbilisi in October, 1998. The project aims to
provide a basis for social dialogue by reinforcing the representative
capacity of the trade union national centre. Social dialogue,
which should not be carried out solely at national level, with
the government, but should be expressed at all levels of the economy,
will thus contribute to reinforcing existing democratic institutions
and to creating the dialogue necessary for a smooth transition.
Company conversions, the move to a market economy, and the implementation
of the necessary institutions and infrastructures, all require
the mobilisation of all social and economic forces. The project
should also allow the grass roots trade unionists a better understanding
of the challenges involved in the transition and the opportunities
offered by the market economy and put them in a better position
to define constructive proposals in this area.
The TUC has been requested by the ICFTU to provide
capacity building support to the GTUA to enable it to represent
its members more effectively. The project would aim to strengthen
the representation of the GTUA by increasing its membership, paying
particular attention to assistance in organising groups in those
sections of society—young people, private sector employees
and women—who have traditionally been under-represented
within the trade union organisation and within broader Georgian
society. The seminars would be designed to provide a forum for
the exchange of ideas and experiences that will help promote a
better understanding of the principles of democracy and pluralism
to enable the GTUA to make a full and positive contribution to
the reform process in Georgia. The project is consistent with
the DFID policy of local partner empowerment and the generation
of long term benefits. The TUC has submitted a project proposal
to the Know How Fund aimed at assisting the GTUA with that process.
KAZAKHSTAN
There are two national trade union centres in
Kazakhstan. One is the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic
of Kazakhstan (FPK) and the other is the Confederation of Free
Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (KSPK) which mainly organises small
trade union organisations created at enterprises of various sectors
of the economy. The FPK is the successor to the old national centre.
It declared its independence and registered its Charter in 1990.
It has around 4 million members and branch unions which have members
in most enterprises in Kazakhstan. The President is Mr Siyazbeck
Onerbekovich Mukashev. The KSPK is a new independent organisation
and its affiliated union, the Kazakhstan Association of Civil
Aviation Flight Crew Trade Unions, with 1500 members, is one of
the largest with a branch structure. The KSPK has 5 regional trade
union centres, 4 branches and 86 trade unions from various branches
and spheres. All member organisations of the KSPK are legal entities,
registered in accordance with statutes. The President is Mr Leonid
Zinov'evich Solomin.
The FPK and the KSPK participate in events together
but are not united. Both trade union centres work within the framework
of the Tripartite Committee on Social Partnership as well as in
working groups created by the government to prepare decrees and
joint documents related to social issues. The Presidents of both
centres signed a General Agreement with the government and the
employers' associations of Kazakhstan. As in many other former
Communist countries the KSPK has repeatedly raised the issue of
the FPK's property which has not been nationalised. Moving the
capital city from Almaty to Astana has complicated both the position
of the trade unions as a whole and relations within the Federation.
Only the chairman of the FPK and two of his deputies, for whom
the Federation obtained apartments, have so far moved to the new
capital and the difficult financial situation has prevented the
branch trade unions from transferring their Central Committees
from Almaty to Astana.
Trade union relations and assistance activities
The FPK is an affiliate and an ardent supporter
of the GCTU and one of the few member organisations which pays
it membership dues. The FPK is maintaining its traditional relations
with the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), and about
three years ago they were visited by representatives of the North
Korean trade union centre. Relations were established between
the FPK and the trade unions of Israel and Denmark during 1997-98.
Visits and training of delegations of Kazahk trade unionists are
planned to those countries in 1999.
A number of branch trade unions in Kazakhstan
are member organisations of the International Trade Secretariats
(ITSs). The strongest links exist with the International Chemical,
Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) which has been
operating in the region for several years. The Union of Workers
in Building and Industrial Construction Materials is a member
of the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW),
while the Union of Aviation Workers is a member of the International
Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). As a result of the joint
ICFTU-IUF-FIET (IUF is International Union of Food, Agricultural,
Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations
and FIET is International Federation of Commercial Clerical, Professional
and Technical Employees) visit, there are favourable conditions
for closer co-operation between the branch trade unions and the
ITSs mentioned above. Contacts between the FPK and the Turkish
trade unions, particularly the TURK-IS, were quite active during
the early years of Kazakhstan's independence.
In June 1998 the ICFTU with the support of the
Friedrich Ebert Fund organised a seminar in Bishkek (Kirgizia)
on seven years of independence in Central Asia in which representatives
of both trade union centres took part. In December 1998 both trade
union centres participated in the Conference to mark the 50th
anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, at which the deputy
chairman of the FPK spoke on the issue of non-payment of wages
and the president of the KSPK on violations of trade union rights.
KYRGYZSTAN
The trade union situation in Kyrgyzstan has
changed radically since 1990. Trade unions today are independent
and have no association with political parties. The Trade Union
Federation of Kyrgyzstan has 1.2 million members organised into
20 branch unions and five regional organisations. The potential
membership is estimated at 1.4-1.5 million but only up to 900,000
people are in genuine employment. People who retire can remain
union members but do not pay. The President is Mr Emilbek Abakirov
and members of the leadership come from different ethnic groups
and young people are promoted. The Federation had 1.7 million
members before 1991, suffered a loss of membership between 1992
and 1995 and has since begun to increase membership. The branch
(affiliated) unions are independent with their own constitutions
and structures.
The Federation has maintained its assets and
receives a percentage of the Social Fund for its sanatoria and
health centres. The Federation is involved in health promotion
for the population and 20,000 children have been able to benefit
from their health resorts in 1998. The question of union dues
poses problems because of high unemployment, non-payment of salaries,
and the fact that 60-65 per cent of dues are kept at local level.
The Federation attaches major importance to
solving problems through negotiation and peace and stability were
considered vital because Kyrgyszstan is a multi-ethnic country.
The question of national minorities could become a problem, as
in other Central Asian countries. The President is always ready
to meet with the trade union movement and had more understanding
for trade union principles than certain members of parliament
who were not in favour of the new labour code.
The Federation has established good relations
with the trade union movements in Denmark and Turkey as well as
maintaining close and fraternal relations with all the trade union
organisations of the central Asian Republics and Azerbaijan. The
Danish AOF has been running a two-year project in the country.
The Federation is a member of the GCTU the advantages of that
being social partnership in relation to inter-governmental agreements
like the one between Russia and Kazakhstan. The Confederation's
priorities were the effective use of human resources because the
reforms had started without any previous experience and training,
and they strongly recommended the establishment of a Central Asian
Republic Trade Union Education Centre.
TAJIKSTAN
The role of the trade unions in Tajikstan is
more difficult than in other Central Asian Republics because of
the civil war which has devastated the country. The country is
now facing total disintegration, absolute poverty, and problems
of refugees and migrants. The situation continues to be unstable
and the war is not yet over. The Trade Union Federation of Tajikstan
said that it had tried to prevent the civil war from breaking
out not because of any political agenda or allegiance but because
of its belief in resolving conflict through negotiation. The Federation's
presidium arranged a peace-making mission trying to bring the
different partners to the negotiating table.
The Federation has 16 branch unions, with four
regional bodies and a membership of 1,300,000. The Council of
the Federation is composed of 2 representatives from each of the
affiliated organisations. Union property has been largely preserved,
although some of the premises are rented out to the Ministry of
Defence and some property is jointly owned with the GCTU. The
President of the Federation is Mr Muradali Salikhov. Since the
end of the war, the Federation has been trying to rebuild its
structures. 1998 has been designated as the year for primary trade
union organisation. New trade union cards have been issued and
priority has been given to rebuilding local trade union structures
in those regions previously not accessible because of the war.
A second priority for the Federation has been the promotion of
legislative reforms after the signing of the Peace Agreement on
27 June, 1997. 150 draft laws were prepared most of which have
been adopted. These include laws on collective bargaining, social
partnership, indexation, promotion of small and medium enterprises,
and employment creation. A general agreement has been signed with
the Government and a draft has already been prepared for 1999.
However, the situation of the workers remains dramatic with a
large number unemployed, living on or below poverty levels. There
is a serious problem of non-payment of wages with wage arrears
amounting to 5 billion roubles.
The Federation is affiliated to the GCTU and
has good relations with the ACFTU in the People's Republic of
China. The Federation stressed the importance of exchanges of
experiences and said that they would look at their priorities
and communicate them to the ICFTU
TURKMENISTAN
The ICFTU has not yet sent a mission to Turkmenistan.
One of the unions there is affiliated to the ICEM and they maintain
contacts in the country. The President of the Trade Union Federation
of Turkmenistan is Mr Khoshgeldi Ovezov. Further information could
be obtained if required but is not immediately available.
UZBEKISTAN
Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991 and has
since introduced a national currency, transferred land to individual
farmers, created its own automobile production industry, and acquired
its own oil extraction refineries, resulting in self-sufficiency
in terms of energy requirements. One of the most important achievements
has been the introduction of reforms for maintaining peace and
stability in a country where there were 120 different ethnic groups.
The trade union movement take the view that President Karimov
had wisely rejected shock therapy and was introducing market reforms
which were appropriate to Uzbek history and culture. The strategy
of the reform process is based on strong social policy, positive
role of state and social partnership between the state, producers
and trade unions. It has been managed and not left to market forces.
However, as in most of the central Asian states the society is
patriarchal and the President has wide-ranging powers over both
the legislature and the judiciary.
The Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan
was established in September 1990 and claims a membership of 7.5
million out of a total workforce of 8.7 million (total population
24 million). There were 20 branches which have been reduced to
15 due to mergers. There are also 14 regional structures with
60,000 local unions. Membership levels currently stand at 86 per
cent compared to 94 per cent in the past. The President of the
FTUU since October 1998 is Ms Dilbar Jikhongirova. She is a surgeon
and an MP. The FTUU Constitution was adopted in 1995 and the Confederation
employs 45 staff.
Union dues are deducted at 1 per cent of salaries.
Of that 65 per cent remains at enterprise level, 35 per cent goes
to the branch and territorial levels and 3 per cent to the Confederation.
The FTUU is working to change the structure so that only 50 per
cent remains at enterprise level. The union receives 2 per cent
of the social security contributions, largely towards maintenance
of their health centres.
Trade union rights are guaranteed by the Constitution
and Law on Trade Unions. Uzbekistan has ratified 16 ILO conventions
and the unions are submitting a request to the Government for
further ratifications. Trade unions are considered to be the major
instrument for resolving workers' problems and the President of
the country meets the trade unions for discussions on a range
of issues. He is keen to secure union support for his programme
and initiatives.
Trade union relations
The Uzbek trade unions have had contacts with
40 trade unions around the world and have regular exchanges with
the unions of the CIS. The FTUU has not had relations with the
World Federation of Trade Unions (the international trade union
centre covering trade unions in former communist countries) for
the last four years, and have withdrawn from membership of the
GCTU. The FTUU is interested in contacts with Western countries
because of the changes in its economic structures and investments
by multinational companies. It maintains close links with the
ACFTU in China and has contacts with the CGT, France, CGIL, Italy,
Turk-Is and Hak-Is in Turkey and Histadrut in Israel. There are
also contacts with the Indian trade union movement and with the
Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF). The ICEM has two
affiliates in Uzbekistan which have now merged. The Aviation Workers'
Union is affiliated to the ITF. The FTUU President requested exchanges
of experience, particularly with trade unions from central and
eastern Europe, exchanges of information using the ICFTU Moscow
office, training in new methods of union organisation and in dealing
with multinational companies, and help in establishing relations
between the ITSs and the FTUU branch structures.
CONCLUSION
There are large and in many cases influential
trade union organisations in all of the countries of the Transcaucasus
and Central Asia. The transition from centrally-planned economy
to market economy is bound to have a detrimental effect on employment
and on the overall social situation and the trade unions are best
placed to deal with the views of working people in relation to
their governments.
There is throughout the region of central and
eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Transcaucasus and central Asia
the serious issue of non-payment of wages. It is worse in some
countries than others and it is an inexcusable exploitation of
working people which should not be allowed to continue.
The TUC, through its affiliation to international
trade union organisations and through its own bilateral contacts
in the region, can provide relevant and invaluable information
to the British Government about developments in the trade union
movements there. At the same time it would be constructive if
the British Embassy sought contacts with the national trade union
organisations, not just to faciliate the provision of educational
and organisational assistance but also as an indication to the
trade unions that there is recognition and understanding of the
role of trade unions in market economies and in order to provide
additional information to the TUC and British trade unions. At
a time when British unions are seeking and beginning to achieve
a relationship with employers based on partnership rather than
confrontation it would be appropriate to explain and demonstrate
that model to trade unions in the Transcaucasus. A sharing of
information between the TUC and the British Embassies would provide
comprehensive information on trade union developments and needs
and could assist in achieving fair and balanced system of industrial
relations.
ACRONYMS
International organisations
ICFTU International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions.
TUAC Trade Union Advisory Committee to the
OECD
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development
GCTU General Confederation of Trade Unions
— international trade union centre for national centres
in the CIS)
CIS Commonwealth of Independent States
TACIS Transition Assistance in the CIS
National trade union organisations
ACFTU All China Federation of Trade Unions
ATUC Armenian Trade Union Confederation
ATUC Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation
GTUA Georgian Trade Unions Amalgamation
FPK Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic
of Kazakhstan
KSPK Confederation of Free Trade Unions
of Kazakhstan
FTUU Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan
CGT, France Confe«de«ration Ge«ne«rale
de Travail
CGIL, Italy Confederazione Generale Italiana
del Lavoro
Turk-Is" Confederation of Trade Unions
of Turkey
Hak-Is" The Confederation of Turkish
Real Trade Unions
ACFTU All China Federation of Trade Unions
JILAF Japan International Labour Foundation
— a trade union institute which provides training, education,
and exchange visits overseas.
ITSs International Trade Secretariats to
which national trade unions are affiliated (eg Transport and General
Worker's Union is affiliated to the ITF)
FIET International Federation of Commercial,
Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees.
IFBWW International Federation of Building
and Woodworkers
ICEM International Federation of Chemical,
Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions
ITF International Transport Workers' Federation
IUF International Union of Food, Agricultural,
Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations.
March 1999
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