“Women are a powerful force that cannot be ignored or underestimated”…

It is said that women as leaders tend to pay more attention to social protection issues, and also prove with their work that they are more flexible in overcoming many other issues. In this regard, there are certain positive expectations among experts and the public regarding the election of Elen Manaseryan as the president of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia. It should be reminded that at the 5th Congress of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia (CTU) held in October of this year, the organization had a female president for the first time in its 100-year history.

WomenNet.am spoke with the newly elected president of the Armenian Labor Union, Elen Manaseryan, and our first question is about the reforms she would like to implement in the activities of trade unions in Armenia.

• In fact, unions are on the verge of major reforms. It is necessary to break the stereotypes about them among the public, because today the unions are identified with the unions of the Soviet years. Meanwhile, the current trade unions must move with the time, that is, they must clearly respond to market relations. I consider healthy generational change as a priority, but at the expense of getting rid of unqualified professionals, it is necessary to train young personnel with new and unique ideas. Everyone knows that unions are called to protect the labor rights and interests of workers in labor relations, but cooperation with social partners is no less important, where unions will appear as a stable and reliable partner, which will also contribute to the establishment of the institution of social partnership.

– Do the trade unions have enough members or is there a problem of replenishing the ranks?

– If we compare with the trade unions of other countries, the number of members is less. The reason for the low number of unionized workers is the high unemployment rate in the country, the informal economy, the number of self-employed people who are potential union members, but according to the Law on Trade Unions, only an employee who has signed an employment contract with an employer has the right to be a union member.

– To what extent does today’s confederation have the potential and opportunity to organize protests, strikes, is it ready to support and protect the labor rights of workers in that way?

– Although the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia stipulate that a strike is one of the fundamental human rights, the mechanisms and tools for conducting a strike are fixed by the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia, which limits the possibility of a legal strike. Therefore, you will not meet any organization carrying out a legal strike anywhere in the republic, it is simply impossible, as the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia has repeatedly stated. I have also touched on that problem many times during the years of working as a lawyer and advocate in various programs. The ILO has received a remark in that regard from the International Labor Organization, Committee for Overseeing the Obligations of the Revised European Charter. Organizing a strike is the exclusive right of trade unions, and if the given provisions defined by the Labor Law were adapted to the principles of freedom of association, perhaps many would like to join the strike.

– Nevertheless, there were protests by the employees of Ararat cement, Nairit factories, and drivers demanding a wage increase or unpaid wages.

– Yes, in extreme cases, a strike can be organized. I find that, in my person, the AMC will always be ready to respond to the voice of the workers’ protest, and if necessary, I myself will participate in the pickets and protest actions. We all know the “power” of interpersonal relations in our reality, when one persuades another not to join the strike, saying what you need, somehow you got a job, etc. Also, due to the socio-economic situation, workers often give up their right to strike. In other words, there are both objective and subjective reasons not to strike.

– What would you say about the role and work done by women involved in the ranks of the NAMC and the member republican unions of the NAMC?

– It is no secret that there has never been a female leader in the history of trade unions in Armenia, I think such a change should only have a positive effect. In any case, I have to do everything to increase the role and rank of the trade union. Without diminishing, of course, the role of men, I think that the trade union is primarily a social work, and a woman is a more social being than a man. A woman is a mother, and in the sense of understanding and feeling the pain of others, the role of a woman in a trade union is much more important, especially if it is a specialist who has a good understanding of the problems in labor relations. I emphasize the role of a woman in trade union-employer negotiations, because in many cases a woman can be a straitjacket in conflict situations, settle the case thanks to her flexibility and persuasive speech.

– It is known that among the permanent operating commissions of the AMC there is also a commission for ensuring equal rights and equal opportunities for women and men. What issues are discussed in the committee?

– Yes, we have such a committee, but so far only women are represented in that committee. In other words, when we say equality, the vector is immediately directed towards the woman, but I think that men should be included in the commission. If only among women we talk and discuss about their violated rights, it turns out that we speak and we listen. Meanwhile, men should also know about these rights. Therefore, we have decided to maintain a gender balance in the above committee and involve men as well. As for the issues discussed in the committee, I should say that so far, the Convention No. 190 adopted by the ILO against violence and harassment at the workplace, which RA has not ratified, has been discussed. However, regardless of whether the Republic of Armenia will ratify that convention or not, the AMC will always raise its voice about this issue. By the way, for the first time, the above-mentioned commission of the National Assembly of Armenia spoke about the problem.

But, of course, the Labor Union cannot be indifferent to this or that event, which is directly related to the workers. HAMC will come out not only with announcements, but also with actions if necessary. In a number of sectors, we have active union members who are ready to protest unfair decisions if necessary.

Full text in Armenian