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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Chernogayev,

The FNPR is our leading trade union association, the largest and, I believe, one of the most effective. I think it unites 44 industry-specific trade unions and nearly 20 million members – 18.8 million, to be precise – including both employed workers and students of secondary and higher education institutions. The Federation performs an essential state function, perhaps the most essential one: to protect workers’ rights and interests. It also greatly contributes to monitoring occupational safety, which is equally important.

There is a vast amount of work to be done. The FNPR fulfils its responsibilities and, as a member of the trilateral commission, cooperates with employers and the government. Quite often it acts not as a partner, but as an opponent, precisely because it must defend workers’ rights. Indeed, there is a great deal of work. This year, if I recall correctly, we are also marking several anniversaries.

FNPR Chairman Sergei Chernogayev: Yes, that’s true. This year marks the 120^th anniversary of the trade union movement in Russia and the 35^th anniversary of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia.

Mr President, I would also like to note that on National Unity Day, November 4, you signed Federal Law amending Article 20 of Federal Law On Free Legal Aid. Thanks to this amendment, citizens can now receive free legal assistance when their labour rights are violated.

I want to thank you for your support, which enables us to effectively protect workers’ professional interests, primarily at the legislative level and, as you have mentioned, within the framework of the trilateral partnership.

Now, if I may, some words about the Federation itself. As you have said, we have 19 million trade union members. We are represented in 86 territorial entities. We have entered into one general agreement, 84 regional agreements, 6,000 sectoral agreements at the federal, territorial and regional levels, in total 110,000 collective agreements.

Here is another interesting fact: I want to highlight that nearly ten million trade union members are covered by these collective agreements, and the total number of workers covered by these 110,000 collective agreements is one and a half times greater – 15 million employees.

Vladimir Putin: Could you explain it, please?

Sergei Chernogayev: Trade unions prepare and sign collective agreements. However, a collective agreement applies not only to trade union members, but also to all enterprise workers in general.

Vladimir Putin: I see.

Sergei Chernogayev: As you have noted, we work efficiently within the framework of the Russian trilateral commission. Over this time, we have held 11 meetings and 90 working group meetings. We have put forward about 25 initiatives, which have either been decided upon or are currently being worked on. The main initiatives have been presented here: for the most part, they concern indexing pensions for working pensioners starting January 1. This measure will cover almost eight million working people.

Legislation stipulates that the minimum wage must outpace the growth rate of the subsistence minimum and the consumer price index. Salaries have been increased for 4.2 million workers and will increase for another five million from January 1, 2026.

The Labour Code of the Russian Federation has been amended with respect to additional payments for workers acting as workplace mentors. This provision applies to four million people.

Vladimir Putin: This is an important initiative. Mentorship is an important function.

Sergei Chernogayev: Mentoring enables us to train the workforce most efficiently and helps them master their profession more quickly.

We have prepared amendments to the Labour Code regarding the regulation of platform employment.

You know that a law on the platform economy has been adopted, and it is necessary to regulate labour relations accordingly. Should these amendments be adopted, they will concern about 9.5 million working people.

Draft Federal Law On Amendments to Article 1 of the Federal Law On the Minimum Wage has been considered. Thanks to this, wages will increase for 4.6 million employees from January 1, 2026.

Of course, I cannot but mention the support that trade unions provide to participants in the special military operation and their families. You have declared 2025 the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. The Federation has declared it the Year of Labour Valour – Everything for Victory! As a result, more than four billion rubles and over 38,000 tonnes of humanitarian cargo and food kits have been shipped. An agreement on cooperation was concluded with the committees of families of Fatherland warriors and associations of the special military operation veterans. I hope that this year we will sign a similar agreement with the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

During this time, 90 tonnes of donor blood have been collected, with nearly 42,000 trade union members becoming regular blood donors. More than 8,000 health resort vouchers have been issued to special military operation participants and their families. Over 4,000 children have been sent to summer camps. We sent 700 children to summer camps in the Republic of Belarus and Uzbekistan. Children were provided with tickets to various events.

I also want to mention another initiative spearheaded by Russia’s trade unions, namely, Trade Unions of Russia – Za SVOikh [for Our People]. This initiative is aimed at providing shrapnel protection for those who are performing their professional duties in operational services, working in border areas, and participating in sowing and harvesting campaigns. In total, 377 million rubles have been raised to fund this initiative.

Vladimir Putin: That is, they continue to work in difficult and dangerous conditions.

Sergei Chernogayev: Yes, absolutely. But we still strive to ensure that union members stay protected.

There are 21 temporary accommodation centres deployed at the health resorts and hotels operated by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions, which accommodate over 2,000 evacuees.

The FNPR participates in the social and political life of the country. In 2025, on the single voting day, together with the Popular Front, we carried out extensive work, as numbers here show. More than 46,500 trade union activists served as public observers in 2025. We interact with the Civic Chamber in this regard.

Trade union activists are taking part in campaigning to ensure that as many workers as possible come to polling stations or vote remotely.

I believe that in 2026, in the run-up to the elections to the State Duma, we will also take the most active part in preparing and conducting these elections and put to good use the experience we have gained to date.

The primary protection of workers’ labour rights is, of course, ensured by shop-floor trade union organisations and committees. We strive to resolve all issues directly at the workplace. However, as practice shows, each year we participate in about 15,000 court hearings involving labour disputes, and in 90 percent of cases, the decisions are made in favour of workers. As a result, nearly one billion rubles are returned to workers annually through the courts alone.

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions is composed of 33 percent young people, which is very encouraging: 6.3 million young individuals are union members. Around three million people take part in our youth programmes every year, which is also extremely important.

Our key work with young people focuses on demographic issues such as starting a family and raising children. Collective agreements typically include a wide range of benefits, guarantees, and compensations specifically for this category of workers. Notably, 19 percent of shop-floor trade union organisations are headed by young leaders under the age of 35.

Vladimir Putin: Very good.

Sergei Chernogayev: We can see that today’s youth expect new forms of interaction; they are accustomed to digital solutions. Currently, according to our estimates, fewer than ten percent of the Federation’s digital services are utilised by our members. This is clearly insufficient. We have therefore decided to create a unified digital feedback platform that will include a union membership registry and personal accounts, both for internal union work and for individual members.

We have set an ambitious target: to reach 45 percent usage by 2029. Achieving this will require substantial effort, but it will significantly enhance convenience, usability, and, most importantly, our ability to receive timely feedback from employees and respond to their needs.

Mr President, if I may, I would like to raise several issues.

Vladimir Putin: Ok.

Mr Chernogayev, regarding the draft law amending the Labour Code aimed at improving and expanding the application of provisions regulating apprenticeship contracts. You mentioned young people, whom this concerns directly. While the measure may not affect a very large number of workers – around 400,000 – it is nevertheless extremely important for workforce training.

Sergei Chernogayev: Yes, it is.

Vladimir Putin: Good. Thank you.

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