On October 19 – 22, 1997 congress of the chairmen of the trade union organizations of classical universities devoted to the anniversary of the International Association of Trade Union Organizations of Universities of the CIS was held at Moscow University. 63 chairmen of trade union organizations of employees and students from 45 universities of six states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Russia took part in the work.
At the plenary session, held on October 20, 1997, Rector of Moscow State University, President of the Eurasian Association of Universities, President of the Russian Union of Rectors, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. Sadovnichy, Chairman of the Committee on Science and Education of the State Duma of the Russian Federation I. Melnikov, Chairman of the Council of the of the IAUTUO I. Kotlobovsky, Chairman of the Association of trade union organizations of universities of Ukraine, V. Tsvykh, and others made speeches.
The following issues were discussed at the plenary session:
– on the situation around the Higher School in the CIS countries;
– about the projects of reforming higher education in Russia and the impact of these reforms on the education system in the CIS countries;
– on the financing of universities in the CIS countries and social policy in relation to employees of universities;
– about the ways of preserving social sphere bodies at the universities;
– on the possibility of concluding an international collective agreement between the rector and trade union Eurasian associations;
– on the development of social partnership at the universities;
– on the preservation of the right of citizens of the CIS countries to existing social guarantees;
– on the affiliation of trade unions of the CIS countries into the World Trade Union Confederations;
– on changing the name of the Association and the criteria for accepting new members of the Association.
October 21, 1997 the congress continued its work in two sections: employees and students.
During the presentation, the following suggestions were made:
– to conduct sociological research on the social status of employees and students in university teams of the Association together with the Board of the Eurasian Association of Universities;
– in order to achieve uniformity with the Associations of Rectors and Student Councils, change the name of the International Association of University Trade Union Organizations into “Eurasian Association of University Trade Union Organizations” (EATUOU);
– to develop joint target programs (on ecology, recreation in foreign countries) based on the experience of the association of the Carpathian southern region;
– to expand the Association inviting universities from foreign countries (for example, to attract Prague University);
– to create on the Internet a “page on trade unions of universities”;
– to continue and expand the practice of mutual assistance in organizing the recreation of employees and students at the recreation centers of other universities;
– to create a data bank on the possibilities of organizing recreation on the basis of universities – members of the Association;
– to prepare guidelines for concluding a collective agreement at the university;
– to form an analytical group within the association;
– to strengthen ties and interaction with the Eurasian Association of Universities;
– to ensure the rapid dissemination of information about the events taking place in the higher education institutions of the CIS countries;
– to strengthen the organizational structure of the Association.
The congress of the chairmen of the university trade unions adopted an appeal to the Heads of State of the CIS, approved the new statute of the association, changed the name of the Association to “Eurasian Association of University Trade Union Organizations” (EATUOU); decided to prepare a joint meeting of the Eurasian Association of Universities and the Eurasian Association of Trade Union Organizations on the social situation of students and university staff. The chairman of the Joint Trade Union of Moscow State University, I. Kotlobovsky, was elected chairman of the EATUOU Council, and A. Matveev, chairman of the trade union organization of St. Petersburg University, was elected deputy chairman of the EATUOU Council.
The following persons were elected to the EATUOU Presidium: I. Kotlobovsky (Moscow University), A. Matveev (St. Petersburg University), V. Tsvykh (Kiev University), E. Toromsha (Belarusian University), L. Akhmetova (Kazakh University), L. Kalustyan (Odessa University), A.Utamuradov (Tashkent University), G. Robrobyshev (Ural University), V. Galstyan (Yerevan University), N. Puchkova (Tomsk University), V. Semiguk (Rostov University), S. Zapryagayev (Voronezh University), A. Makukhin (East-Ukrainian University), N. Koltysheva (Gomel University), R. Bichegkuev (Vladikavkaz University), A. Orsariev (Kazakh University), Yu. Afonin (Simferopol University), I. Tyomny (St. Petersburg University), A. Chernyaev (Moscow University) – Executive Director of the Association.
The EATUOU Audit Commission is elected with:
– N. Sorokina (Perm University);
– N. Radevich (Belarusian University);
– Yu. Afonin (Simferopol University).
The organizing committee of the congress prepared a transcript of the meetings.