The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym Tokayev issued a decree on the evening of August 9th pardoning trade union leader Erlan Baltabay, leader of the Fuel and Energy Workers' Union and vice-president of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (KNPRK), from custody. Baltabay was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on July 17, 2019, on embezzlement charges that the international labor movement condemned as being politically motivated. His sentence also included a prohibition on trade union activities for an additional seven years after his jail term.

The ITUC has harshly condemned the sentencing of Kazakhstan trade union leader Erlan Baltabay. Efforts to improve freedom of association for working people are once again jeopardised; but the country’s new leadership could still intervene.

The 100th Anniversary Conference of the International Labour Organisation has concluded with the adoption of a crucial new international Convention to tackle violence and harassment at work. “The landmark Convention against violence and harassment at work is the culmination of an exceptional campaign for this new global standard, and efforts will now turn to ensuring that it is ratified by governments and put into action,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

The Tenth Congress of the Confederation of Labor of Russia (KTR) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs at the 108th Session of the International Labour Conference (10-21 June 2019) to support the adoption of the Convention Ending violence and harassment in the world of work.  After the adoption of the Convention, to ensure its prompt ratification and implementation of its provisions and norms in Russian legislation.

Ford union representatives and their national and international colleagues spent two days debating possible ways of safeguarding jobs at the Ford Sollers joint venture in Russia, and their response to the potential closure of other Ford plants, after the company announced a review of  its strategy in the country.

Workers fear that the Ford-Sollers plant in Vsevolozhsk, Leningrad region, Russia, will close, at a cost of more than 1,000 jobs. Their trade unions have launched a campaign against the closure of the plant and called for support from global allies. The works council at Ford Vsevolozhsk, comprised of IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the Interregional Trade Union "Workers Association" (ITUWA) and the local Ford trade union organization, issued a joint statement on 15 February.

The inspectors from the Far Eastern Regional Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR FERO) visited the 1990-built, Russian-flagged tanker Argo. The tanker was being under cargo handling operations at the Nakhodka oil loading port. The seafarers wanted to become the SUR's members following the conversations with its reps.

You can read Statement of PERC Youth Committee in support of the ITUC-PERC Executive Committee decision to recommend for the ITUC General Council to suspend Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (FPRK) membership.

Repression and violent physical attacks against leaders and activists of the independent trade unions in Kazakhstan continue unabated. 
On 25 September 2018, a trumped-up criminal case was brought against Erlan Baltabai, leader of the Fuel and Energy Workers' Union, affiliated with the banned Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KNPRK). 

The crew members of the container ship "Wilson Ghent" (the flag of Malta, IMO: 9150236) are satisfied with the working conditions in general, but are concerned about  retirement related issues, including early retirement. The seafarers told about their concerns the Inspectors of the SUR Baltic Territorial  Organization (BTO) during their visiting the "Wilson Ghent".