OREANDA-NEWS. December 15, 2010. Dmitry Medvedev discussed the economic and social results of the year, the labour market situation, labour migration issues, and economic modernisation with Russia’s trade union leaders.

The President noted that despite the post-crisis difficulties, the state authorities are fulfilling all of their social commitments. Progress has been made on fulfilling international social commitments too, in particular by ratifying a number of ILO conventions and the European Social Charter.

Mr Medvedev said that economic modernisation’s goal is not to shrink the labour market, but to create modern new jobs, and stressed that priority must go now to training qualified workers.

The President also said that the labour market in Russia needs to become more civilised, but that encouraging foreign labour into the country should not be to the detriment of Russian citizens.

Mr Medvedev noted that trade unions could play a useful part in reviving the system of higher technical education and become more actively involved in monitoring the creation of new jobs in the regions.

Taking part in the meeting were President of the National Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FNPR) Mikhail Shmakov, heads of trade unions representing agriculture sector, healthcare, coal mining industry and defence industry workers, lawyers, heads of regional trade unions associations, and also First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Vladislav Surkov.