Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 25
Trend:
Trade union movement in Azerbaijan, covering all the activity types, has become an authoritative and effective institution in the protection of workers' rights, said Azerbaijani president's aide for public and political affairs, Ali Hasanov.
He made the remarks Nov. 25 addressing an event dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation.
Hasanov further said the trade union movement, which emerged in Europe in the period of industrialization, has come a long way of development, achieving important success in the protection of human rights and freedoms, and in particular the protection of labor rights.
"Trade union organizations in Azerbaijan were established in the late XIX - early XX centuries, at a time when socio-political and economic processes, as well as the issue of solving the people's social problems became pressing in the industrial centers of Russia," he said.
The presidential aide noted that after gaining independence, the new stage of the trade union movement started in Azerbaijan and the activities of trade unions acquired new content.
Azerbaijan's National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who returned to power in 1993, has always paid great attention to trade union organizations, attached great importance to their development, said Hasanov.
The great leader was protecting the trade union movement from the pressure of various political forces, prevented the destruction of its material and technical base created over many years, the top official added.
He further said that Azerbaijan has become a dynamically developing country, with a strong economy, thanks to President Ilham Aliyev's purposeful and independent policy.
He further said that today, Azerbaijan's Trade Unions Confederation includes numerous committees and federations of trade unions, covering such activities as the economy, culture, education, healthcare, public service and other areas.
"The Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation is taking sustained actions on social partnership, social security, labor protection, protection of labor rights," said the presidential aide.
He further said that Azerbaijan has become a dynamically developing country, with a strong economy, thanks to President Ilham Aliyev's purposeful and independent policy.
"As a result of continuation of liberal economic reforms, promotion of investments, implementation of targeted state programs in the past ten years, the economy has grown more than three times, unemployment and poverty fell to five percent, the social and economic infrastructure was rebuilt, and the people's welfare improved drastically," said Hasanov.
Thousands of production enterprises, 1.4 million new jobs have been created in Azerbaijan since 2003, said Hasanov, adding that the major part of the new jobs were created in the private sector.
"I believe that taking into account all these realities, Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation should continue the cohesive and purposeful measures on improving the working conditions of citizens, resolving their social problems and ensuring their labor rights," said the top official.
Hasanov pointed out that the Trade Unions Confederation should increase its attention to cooperation with transnational companies operating in Azerbaijan, profoundly study and use the best world practice in organization of labor and resolving social problems.
"I am confident that Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation will continue its mission and worthily cope with its tasks," the top official added.