Freedom of Association
Database 2024

Freedom of Association
Indicator
Freedom of Association
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LRI 2024
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Russian Federation

Freedom of Association Indicator

The Labour Rights Index 2024 (LRI 2024) is a de-jure index covering 145 economies and structured around the working lifespan of a worker. In total, 46 questions or evaluation criteria are scored across 10 indicators. The overall score is calculated by taking the average of each indicator, with 100 being the highest possible score. The Index uses a rating system, ranging from “Total Lack of Decent Work” to “Decent Work”. The Labour Rights Index aims at an active contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing necessary (complementary) insights into de jure provisions on issues covered in particular by SDG8 (Decent Jobs), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Strong Institutions). The Index is based on national labour legislation, applicable on 1 January 2024.

Russia’s overall score is 82 out of 100. The overall score for Russia is lower than the regional average observed across Eastern Europe (88). Within the Eastern Europe, the highest score is observed for Greece & Hungary (96).

Russian Federation ratified Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise (1948) in 1956 and Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949) in 1956.

Labour Rights Index 2024

82/100

LRI Country Score

50/100

Freedom of Association Indicator

27.45 %

Trade union density rate (%)

28.5 %

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)

3.53

SDG indicator 8.8.2

5

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings

Question

Answer

Score

Legal Basis

More Info

Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?

Yes

1

§30 of the Constitution, 1993; §2 and 4 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996

Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?

No

0

§13 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996; §36-37 and 41 of the Labour Code, 2001; USDOS CRHRP 2023 (Russian Federation)

D

Does the law provide for the right to strike?

No

0

§14 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996; §409-413 of the Labour Code, 2001; CEACR, C87, Obs. 2018

A,B

Does the law prohibit imposing of excessive sanctions against striking workers?

Yes

1

§37 of the Constitution, 1993; §14 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996; §414 of the Labour Code, 2001

Textual sources

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

B : CEACR

CEACR: ILO Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations (latest report)

C : ITUC

ITUC: ITUC Global Rights Index

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

LRI Country Score
The Labour Rights Index has 10 indicators and 46 sub-indicators. The LRI Country score averages 10 indicators and ranges between 0 and 100. The lowest and highest scorers are Nigeria (29/100) and Belgium/Greece (96/100). https://labourrightsindex.org/  

Freedom of Association Indicator
The Freedom of Association indicator is composed of 4 sub-indicators. Scoring is done through the binary method (0 or 1). The score ranges between 0-100. 

Trade union density rate (%)
The trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on trade union density, please check ILOSTAT. 

Collective bargaining coverage rate (%)
The collective bargaining coverage rate conveys the number of employees whose pay and/or conditions of employment are determined by one or more collective agreement(s) as a percentage of the total number of employees in the country. For updated statistics on collective bargaining coverage, please check ILOSTAT. 

SDG indicator 8.8.2
SDG indicator 8.8.2 measures national compliance with fundamental labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining or FACB). It ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 being the best possible score (indicating higher levels of compliance with FACB rights) and 10 the worst (indicating lower levels of compliance with FACB rights). It is based on six ILO supervisory body textual sources and national legislation.
For an updated assessment on SDG indicator 8.8.2, please check ILOSTAT. 

ITUC Global Rights Index 2024 Ratings
The ITUC Global Rights Index depicts the world’s worst countries for workers by rating 148 countries on a scale from 1 to 5+ on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. Violations are recorded each year from April to March.  For a detailed description of ratings and methodology, please follow the link. 

Information

Source: §30 of the Constitution, 1993; §2 and 4 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996

Information

Source: §13 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996; §36-37 and 41 of the Labour Code, 2001; USDOS CRHRP 2023 (Russian Federation)

D : USDOS

USDOS: US Department of States' Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

"The law placed several restrictions on the right to bargain collectively. For example, only one collective bargaining agreement was permitted per enterprise, and only a union or group of unions representing at least one-half the workforce could bargain collectively. The law allowed workers to elect representatives if there was no union, but the law did not specify who had authority to bargain collectively when there was no trade union in an enterprise. The government had absolute discretion in determining whether a union had standing to bargain."

Information

Source: §14 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996; §409-413 of the Labour Code, 2001; CEACR, C87, Obs. 2018

A : National Law

National Labour Legislation

"Article 413. Unlawful Strikes In accordance with Article 55 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, strikes shall be considered unlawful and shall not be allowed: ................ b) in the organisations (branches, representative offices or other detached structural units) directly related to providing vital services to the population (energy supply, heating and heat supply, water supply, gas supply, air, rail, and water transportation, communications, and hospitals), including cases where strikes would create a threat to national defense, state security, and the lives and health of human being"

B : CEACR

CEACR: ILO Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations

"Article 3 of the Convention. Right of workers’ organizations to organize their administration and activities. The Committee had previously invited the Government to review, in consultation with the social partners, various categories of the State and municipal civil service with a view to identifying those that may fall outside of the narrowly interpreted category of public servants exercising authority in the name of the State. The Committee notes that the Government reiterates its explanation on the classification of civil service positions in the national legislation set out in section 9 of the Law on State Civil Servants, and indicates that all civil servants covered by that legislation exercise authority in the name of the State. The Committee notes that the KTR reiterates its opinion that far from all civil servants covered by the Law are “officials exercising authority in the name of the State”. The Committee questions to what extent “support specialists” (clerical, documentation, IT, accounting, specialists etc.), for example, exercise authority in the name of the State. The Committee recalls that too broad a definition of the concept of civil servant may result in a very wide restriction or even a prohibition of the right to strike for these workers. The Committee welcomes the Government’s indication that it is prepared to conduct, where necessary, consultations with social partners regarding possible improvements. The Committee reiterates its request and expects the Government to inform it of the outcome of the review, in consultation with the social partners, of various categories of the State and municipal civil service with a view to identifying those that may fall outside of this narrowly interpreted category and whose right to strike should be guaranteed."

Information

Source: §37 of the Constitution, 1993; §14 of the Federal law № 10-ФЗ, 1996; §414 of the Labour Code, 2001