TURKMENISTAN: TRADE UNIONS PROMOTE STATE PRIORITIES; FAIL

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000641

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PGOV ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: TRADE UNIONS PROMOTE STATE PRIORITIES; FAIL
TO PROTECT WORKERS' RIGHTS

Sensitive but unclassified. Not for Internet distribution.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Having inherited the Soviet-era trade union
structure, the Government of Turkmenistan has made trade unions part
of its mechanism for maintaining social and political stability.
Independent trade unions do not exist, to the detriment of workers'
rights. Besides providing minor social assistance to its members,
the role of the trade unions is limited to promoting government
policy. END SUMMARY.

UMBRELLA TRADE UNION STRUCTURE


2. (SBU) The National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan
(National Center) is the umbrella trade union organization in
Turkmenistan. The National Center claims a membership of some 1.6
million and is divided along both trade-based and regional lines.
There is no legislation on trade unions. While legislation on
public organizations does not prohibit the establishment of
independent unions, in practice the government does not allow the
existence of independent public organizations that are not
associated with the State.

TRADE UNIONS PROMOTE STATE AGENDA


3. (SBU) Turkmenistan inherited the Soviet system of
government-affiliated trade unions. Under former President Niyazov,
the state tightened its control over all public organizations under
the pretext of "the consolidation of all forces of society for the
sake of construction of a democratic and prospering nation." In
1994, the government established the National Revival Movement, an
umbrella structure to include the Democratic Party, National Trade
Unions, Organization of War Veterans, and Women's and Youth
organizations to provide ideological support for the policy of
President Niyazov. As such, trade unions function as part of the
political system. State policy regarding trade unions makes them
part of the mechanism for political stabilization of society. Apart
from providing some social assistance to workers, including an
annual USD 17 assistance payment and discount coupons to stay at
state-owned sanatoriums and children's summer camps, the trade
union's role is limited to promoting government programs.

WORKERS' RIGHTS LACK EFFECTIVE PROTECTION


4. (SBU) Although the new labor law, which will come into force on
July 1, promotes the role of trade unions in protecting workers'
rights, the existing status of trade unions will not allow them to
fulfill this function. In practice, in the predominantly
state-controlled economy, the close affiliation of both the trade
union and the enterprise with the Government seriously limits the
workers' ability to bargain effectively. A local NGO activist
believes that part of the problem is the absence of civil society,
in which the trade union is one of the important elements. This
source noted that the development of a trade union's outreach
efforts would be an important step to educate workers about the
trade union's potential role. To effectively do this, the trade
union needs to hire qualified specialists in law, labor protection,
and public relations.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: Two factors are prerequisites for the trade
union to effectively protect workers' interests: development of a
civil society and adoption of a law on trade unions that would
guarantee the trade union independence from the state. Until these
conditions are met in Turkmenistan, trade unions will remain an
instrument of the State intended to promote State interests. END
COMMENT.

MILES