BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 16. The 8th Congress of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation has commenced in Baku, Trend reports.
Shahmar Movsumov, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Department of Economic Issues and Innovative Development Policy of the Presidential Administration, read out President Ilham Aliyev’s address to the participants.
Along with delegates of the Congress, representatives of the state and non-governmental organizations, heads of trade unions of international organizations and several countries are participating in the event.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev stated that work on a new General Collective Agreement for 2026-2028 has already begun.
''The human factor remains central to the reforms undertaken in Azerbaijan, constituting the strategic cornerstone of activities pursued by both state institutions and trade unions. In this context, the effective functioning of trade unions represents a crucial role as a reliable partner of the government, with their activities guided by these human-centric principles.
The Cabinet of Ministers maintains close collaboration with the Azerbaijan Trade Union Confederation (ATUC) in the domains of social policy support, labor relations regulation, and the enforcement of workplace safety and social justice. Enhancing labor legislation constitutes a principal focus of this cooperative framework," he emphasized.
First Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ali Ahmadov stated that the application of artificial intelligence (AI) brings new meaning to the concepts of labor and workers.
He emphasized that a legal framework for the protection of labor rights has been formed in Azerbaijan.
"In Azerbaijan, along with improving the social welfare of the population, important tasks have been identified in the field of protecting the labor rights of employees and effective activities are being carried out towards their implementation. The protection of labor rights is one of the areas that not only the state, but also society is constantly focusing on and showing special sensitivity to. The adoption of a number of laws aimed at protecting labor rights by the Azerbaijani Parliament has created a reliable legal basis for the protection of human and labor rights in the country.
It's on the basis of this legal framework that the Azerbaijani government successfully carries out its responsible task of protecting the labor rights of citizens.
New challenges will seriously require the renewal of the activities of trade unions in the future. Mass robotization and the application of artificial intelligence bring new content to the concepts of labor and workers. I believe that we are already witnessing radical changes in the field of labor, and this will manifest itself more clearly in the future," the official added.
Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Anar Aliyev noted that 5 social reform packages have been implemented in Azerbaijan, covering 4 million citizens since 2018.
According to him, in Azerbaijan, large-scale and sustainable reforms are being implemented in the social sector:
"New mechanisms are being developed to respond to the social welfare of the population, and citizens' social security remains a top priority in state policy. Since 2018, five social reform packages covering four million citizens have been implemented. The annual additional financial burden of these reforms amounted to 7.6 billion manat ($4.4 billion).
Significant progress has been made in legalizing labor relations. The number of labor contracts has increased by 45%, reaching 1.9 million, and the national wage fund has risen by 3.2 times.
The minimum wage has been raised by 3.1 times to 400 manat ($235), while the average monthly wage has doubled to 886 manat ($520). The minimum pension has been raised by 2.9 times to 320 manat ($188), and the average monthly pension has increased 2.6 times to 540 manat ($318).
Moreover, the volume of payments for allowances and Presidential pensions to the population has increased fivefold. These indicators confirm the significant results of the social reforms being implemented in the country," he added.
In his video address to the event's participants, Oliver Röpke, Director of the International Labour Organization's Bureau for Workers' Activities, noted that today's discussions will further strengthen workers' rights in Azerbaijan, deepen social dialogue, and build a more just and inclusive future for all workers.
"As before, we support your initiatives in areas such as labor protection, platform employment, just transition, and other policy areas, and we will continue to stand by your side.
Dear colleagues, the strength of the trade union movement lies in its unity, independence, solidarity, and commitment to the values that define it," he concluded.
In addition to congress delegates, the event was also attended by representatives of government and non-governmental organizations, as well as trade union leaders from international organizations and several countries.
