Askar Mamin: best practices of social and labor policy introduced at enterprises of mining and metallurgical complex

November 13, 2018, First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin, during his working trip to the Karaganda region took part in an interregional seminar on the theme "Social and labor policy of companies: experience and development prospects."

The meeting was attended by regional akim E. Koshanov, Minister for Investments and Development Zh. Kassymbek, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population M. Abylkassymova, as well as heads of over 100 large domestic enterprises, the Federation of Trade Unions, Atameken NCE, deputy akims responsible for social partnership of Karaganda, East Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Akmola, North Kazakhstan regions and Astana.

The relevance of developing new approaches to the social and labor policy of Kazakhstani companies engaged in the industrial complex was noted at the meeting.

“The growth of labor productivity in the industrial sector depends on the factors that determine the well-being and qualification of the workforce,” said Mamin, stressing that “this is, above all, the social well-being of workers, the accumulation of human capital — the main elements marked by the Head of State in the Address of the year".

As part of the Address of the Head of State to the people of Kazakhstan, from January 2019 the minimum wage will increase by 1.5 times. Companies such as ERG, Kazzinc LLP, Kazminerals, Arcelor Mittal Temirtau JSC and others intend to raise wages to their employees.

As the First Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan noted, the Government is taking measures to provide the quality prevention of labor disputes. Measures are being taken to radically improve the quality and accessibility of the dialogue between employees, employers and the state.

“Protection of the rights of workers for timely payment of labor will be strengthened. Measures have been taken to enhance labor safety in the workplace,” said Mamin.

The leaders of the largest companies of the mining complex, who spoke during the meeting, stressed that "they consider social responsibility as the main way to achieve business success as the core of all priorities."

“The social orientation of our enterprises is multifaceted and aimed at improving the quality of life of people,” said Andrei Lazarev, managing director for sustainable development of Kazzinc LLP.

In the regions, city-forming enterprises are actively implementing social projects, such as the construction of sports facilities, kindergartens, the overhaul of medical institutions, and equipment with modern high-precision equipment. Support is provided to orphanages, large families, the elderly and people with disabilities.

At the same time, the rapid development of new technologies and the digitalization of all spheres of life have a direct impact on the labor market and the structure of employment. In this regard, mechanisms will be introduced to adapt labor resources to the needs of the new economy. Measures are being developed to manage the flows of labor resources.

To achieve these goals, First Vice Premier Mamin noted that “the Government together with the Republican associations of trade unions and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs developed the General Agreement on Social Partnership for 2018-2020.”

Currently, local executive bodies with enterprises have concluded about 700 Roadmaps for the controlled flow of company employees. It is planned to jointly invest in the retraining of retrenched workers and facilitate their further employment.

During the meeting, participants focused on measures to regulate labor relations, issues of developing corporate social responsibility, participation of trade unions in collective bargaining relations with the employer. The work of the sectoral commission in the mining and metallurgical industry, the practice of social responsibility in the ERG, Kazakhmys LLP, NC KTZh JSC, Kazzinc LLP, and measures taken to ensure social stability in Arcelor Mittal Temirtau were also reviewed.

By Press service of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan.