Elena Gerasimova specializes in labor law and is the head of the Center for social and labor rights. For 11 years, this NGO has been promoting compliance with and knowledge of workers’ rights in Russia as well as improved legislation. Its missions range from legal consultation to publishing studies or organizing conferences. The lawyer is telling us about the different levels of industrial relations, which she believes too often lead to ‘empty shells.’
- What forms of social partnerships are there in Russia?
Elena Gerasimova. There are 4 regulated by the Labor Code. First, unions and employee representatives can bargain collectively with employers to sign agreement at company, local, regional, cross-regional, federal or sectoral level. As a reminder, representatives in businesses usually come from unions but the Labor Code allows electing someone who isn’t from a union if there is no union majority (less than 50 percent of affiliated members) or if there aren’t any in the company. Then, whereby certain provisions, employees can take part in the organization of working conditions but they don’t really have any influence.
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