The first module of the General Confederation of Trade Union’s (GCTU) new educational programme, “Promising Directions for the Development of Trade Union Technical Labour Inspection,” focused on new technologies for ensuring safe working conditions and the implementation of an occupational risk management system in CIS nations. The initiative was launched at the request of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan, with other GCTU member organisations also expressing interest. The event took place on 29 September via videoconference, bringing together over a hundred trade union labour inspectors from Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

“The next wave of technological advancements is threatening the progress trade unions have made in occupational health and safety. The issue lies in extensive automation: programmes once used to control industrial robots are now used to manage people—digital platforms being a prime example. This carries significant risks. But new challenges always pave the way for new opportunities. Modern digital technologies can facilitate the shift from a compensatory to a risk-oriented model of occupational health and safety, aligning the interests of all three parties in the social dialogue: trade unions, employers, and the government,” said GCTU General Secretary Victor Pinsky in his opening address.

He further stressed that the level of protection for union members depends on their involvement in the process. Understanding new technological processes at the local level, consolidating this knowledge within each industry, and forming a unified trade union position on risk assessment are all crucial.

Mikhail Ganichev, Head of the GCTU Department for Occupational Safety, Health, and Social Safety, spoke about the occupational risk management systems in CIS countries, with a special focus on workplace conditions. The session also featured presentations on the use of AI, digitalisation, and other new technologies in workplace safety by Evgeny Shuporin, Head of the Personal Protective Equipment and Industrial Exoskeletons Laboratory at the Research Institute of Occupational Medicine, and Evgeny Astakhov, Associate Professor of the Occupational Safety and Social Partnership Department at the International University MITSO. 

The Deputy Head of the GCTU Department for Occupational Safety, Health, and Social Safety, outlined principles and approaches to preventing and protecting against biological hazards in the work environment.

The GCTU’s educational programme is designed to enhance the skills of specialised trade union experts in occupational safety. The three-month course consists of four modules and will include, in addition to a series of lectures, practical and interactive sessions with leading CIS experts in the field. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a meeting of the GCTU Commission on Occupational Safety, Health, and Social Safety. Those who successfully pass the final assessment will receive a GCTU certificate.