Labour Protection and Income Growth: General Collective Agreement Signed in Uzbekistan
The General Collective Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan and the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan has defined the main areas of cooperation between the parties on socio‑economic issues for the years 2026-2028. The document was signed on November 1, 2025 within the framework of the IX Kurultay of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan.
The agreement takes into account the opinions, suggestions and instructions voiced by the participants of the meeting of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev with trade union activists and veterans on October 17, 2025. During the dialogue, there were outlined priority tasks: to ensure the protection of workers’ rights in the context of the spread of remote and platform employment, to expand the participation of women in the economic life of the country, to strengthen the role of trade unions in the pre-trial settlement of labour disputes, and to accelerate the adoption of the Law “On State Social Insurance”.
In the field of economic development, the agreement establishes a number of strategic goals. It is planned to raise per capita income to 4 thousand US dollars within five years, which will create the prerequisites for the country’s transition to the category of countries with above-average incomes. The agreement provides for an increase in the share of technological products in industry to 32% and an increase in value added in the industrial sector to 45 billion US dollars. It is planned to create 2.5 million highly profitable jobs. Special attention is paid to the introduction of “green economy” technologies and a twofold increase in the energy efficiency of the national economy.
In terms of labour relations, the document introduces important mechanisms of interaction. The Republican Tripartite Commission will participate in the development of norms on the minimum wage. It is assumed that the rights of employees of the platform economy are protected, including labour protection and insurance issues. A unified accident accounting system will be created to prevent occupational injuries.
The social protection system will be further developed. It is planned to expand insurance coverage, provide financial support to low-income families, families with children, pensioners, war and labour veterans, and build sanatoriums and children’s camps. Social facilities such as kindergartens, gyms, and child care services will be created for families with children in special economic and industrial zones. A separate section is devoted to supporting youth and women. It is planned to develop dual education and expand programs to support women’s entrepreneurship, especially in rural areas.
Most of the provisions of the agreement will be implemented through sectoral and territorial collective agreements, as well as collective contracts. The parties undertook to summarize the results of the fulfillment of obligations at least once a year. The document strengthens the system of social partnership and serves as an important tool for the implementation of the “Uzbekistan‑2030” Strategy.
GCTU News
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Viktor Pinsky: GCTU Should Play a Leading Role in Organizing Trade Union Education in the CIS
Viktor Pinsky, Secretary General of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU), believes that the GCTU should take a leading role in developing a system for training, retraining, and upgrading the skills of personnel, exchanging experiences, and educating leaders and trade union activists across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
"We already have successful experience in organizing trade union education. This year over 400 people from six countries participated in the GCTU’s first two educational programs. The idea to launch such programs came directly from the requests of our member organizations. Internships are another in-demand format, especially among young people. They provide an opportunity to personally visit international organizations and see their work from the inside," said Viktor Pinsky.
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For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not just a day of spring and renewal.
For trade unions, March 8 is not merely a day of spring and renewal. Above all, it is an opportunity to once again reflect on the role of women in the world of work and in global development as a whole. Today, women perform 55% of the world’s total labor. They work longer hours than men—by 6 to 13 hours per week—and still earn less: on average, women’s wages amount to 66–84% of men’s wages, depending on the country. There is objective evidence that the more a country values women’s labor and the smaller the gender pay gap, the more developed its economy. A special issue is the “invisibility” of women’s domestic and, as experts call it, reproductive labor. This is why trade unions should continue to fight for justice for working women.
I congratulate all women of the CIS, my colleagues in the parliamentary corps, and women in trade unions on International Women’s Day. I wish you justice, decent work, success, and prosperity!
Viktor Pinsky
General Secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions, Member of the State Duma
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General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
General Confederation of Trade Unions Proposes Securing Trade Union Rights in Enterprise Bankruptcy
The General Confederation of Trade Unions’ (GCTU) proposals are reflected in the draft CIS model law “On Cross-Border Insolvency and Bankruptcy.”
Trade unions must have the right to represent and protect workers’ interests in the bankruptcy of international companies, according to Viktor Pinsky, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and General Secretary of the GCTU.