New Markets and New Economy Require Readiness: General Confederation of Trade Unions

The labor system that was laid down in the 1990s is changing dramatically today. Trade unions must meet the new challenges. This was told to journalists by the President of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (VTUC), Chairman of the Oil and Gas Construction Trade Union of Russia Alexander Korchagin on the sidelines of the International Strategic Session “Fair Transformation of the Labor Market in the Conditions of Diffusion of Digital Technologies”, which gathered in the Belarusian capital representatives of national trade unions and industry unions, scientific and expert communities of almost 30 countries, the correspondent of sb.by reports.

Today, digital transformation and artificial intelligence are not only being introduced into our everyday life, they are being introduced into the development of industries and technologies, Alexander Korchagin noted

- On the example of the Russian Federation and its oil and gas industry, we see how technological processes and equipment are changing, and how it is necessary to change the knowledge of personnel about them. We already have a list of new specialties. We are well aware that the knowledge given in higher education is no longer sufficient for further development, to meet the challenges and requirements that the economy and the development of information resources present to us today. We need to develop ourselves, including trade unions. We must not just discuss and catch up with the problem, we must go ahead, predict what awaits us, develop a common solution.

- Today we are on the verge of global changes and the form of labor processes. And the work structure that was laid down in the 1990s is changing dramatically today, whether we want it or not. And this is happening before our eyes: new types of employment are emerging, staff involvement in them, and market policy itself is changing. Europe is moving away from the forefront of economic development, new markets and a new economy are emerging. All these new challenges must be met.

The International Strategic Session, which takes place on October 13-14 in Minsk, is aimed at developing new practical mechanisms to protect the interests of workers in the context of the transformation of the labor market in the digital era, the press service of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus told sb.by. The participants will focus on finding coordinated approaches to ensuring decent work, protecting workers’ rights and preserving social guarantees in the context of rapid technological development. Senko called access to education the main element of adaptation to digital transformation