Most multinational enterprises operting in Azerbaijan lack independent trade unions

"Multinational companies bring new technologies to the country and pay high wages. However, they also violate the labor rights of local workers," stated the head of the Trade Unions Confederation Sattar Mehbaliyev at the conference held in the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection on "Participation of multinational companies in providing jobs at the national level: main objectives and results." According to him, as soon as the multinational companies start operating in Azerbaijan they starte firing people with experience of 30-35 years. "No conditions for retraining are created for them. Employees of multinational companies often complain to us and require the establishment of their independent trade union organizations. However, managers of local offices of multinational companies threaten them with dismissal if they create a union," added Mehbaliyev. He also noted that only 62 of the 400 multinational companies currently operating in Azerbaijan have trade unions. The Minister of Labor and Social Protection Fizuli Alekperov said Azerbaijan joined the 18 points of the European Social Charter and 56 ILO Conventions, including eight fundamental conventions on labor rights. According to Ricarda McFalls, head of Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy Department of ILO, 188 conventions and 199 recommendations on dialogue between employers and employees have been adopted. McFalls believes the conventions should be reflected in national laws and then applied practically.