UN Joint Programme

Training on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining and Benefits of Social Insurance was held in Dornogobi aimag

The Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions (CMTU) organized a two-day training for herders in Dornogobi aimag about the Freedom of Association (FOA) and Collective Bargaining (CB) and benefits of Social Insurance Programme of Mongolia.

This is the second training that CMTU is organizing with support of the UNJP Extending Social Protection for Herders with Increased Shock Responsiveness. The first training to promote FOA and CB was organized in Zavkhan aimag in September 2021.

Herders from 14 soums (provincial lower administrative unit) of Dornogobi aimag have attended the training and learned about basic concepts of freedom of association and collective bargaining, the CMTU mandate and benefits of becoming a trade union member, labour law and regulations including law on occupational safety and health. Moreover, the best practices of organizing informal workers in different countries were shared.

Training in progress

The training continued with field visits to Urgun and Airag soums on 5-6 November 2021 meeting herders for their views and opinions about the trade union and social insurance schemes and discussed various social aspects including labour law which will be in effect from January 1, 2022. The new labour law regulates employment relationship between employer herder and assistant herder requiring an employment contract established and registered with a competent authority. 

Therefore, the UNJP identified the needs of herders to know about concepts of freedom of association, collective bargaining, and social protection to govern their contractual relationships. The training will continue online to other 19 aimags until the end of 2021.

Participants work in groups

As a result of the training in all 21 provinces, Mongolian herders will have better understanding about the key labour principles and provisions including freedom of association and collective bargaining and social insurance benefits, so that to be more prepared to discuss and collectively resolve any issue that may arise from their employment relationship with employer herders in the future.