Putin to attend FITUR congress in Moscow Wed

MOSCOW, January 12 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will
attend the 7th congress of the Federation of the Independent Trade Unions
of Russia (FITUR) on Wednesday. The congress will take place in the
Moscow-Kiev passenger carriage house, the governmental press service
announced.
The congress is expected to sum up the FITUR activities since the
previous congress held in November 2006 and discuss trade unions' strategy
and tactics in the protection of labor rights and socioeconomic interests
of the working people. A number of personnel-policy and organizational
issues will be also considered, and FITUR General Council and the FITUR
Chairman will be elected.
The FITUR, formed in 1990, is the largest nonprofit association of
working people in Russia, which has 25 million members and unites 49 trade
unions. The congress is the FITUR's supreme governing body while the
General Council supervises daily work in the interim between congresses.
The FUTUR Executive Committee is elected to monitor day-to-day activities.
Acting in the interest of ensuring employment, safe labor and worthy
social guarantees, FITUR takes an active part in the drafting of federal
labor laws and bylaws that regulate the status, rights and duties of trade
unions and working people. The Federation also helps monitor the situation
on the labor market and form and implement regional employment programs.
FITUR legal services and its member organizations constantly
participate in settling labor disputes and conflicts.