Social Dialogue

Social partnership is one of the RUEA priorities, and in the framework of social partnership, RUEA represents and promotes the interests of employers in Armenia.

The Tripartite Collective Agreement was initiated in 2009 at the state level between the Government of Armenia, RUEA and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia, within the framework of the signed Collective Agreement.

Based on the Tripartite Collective Agreement, the above-mentioned 3 social partners carry out joint discussions and meetings of the Tripartite Commission in the following areas: legislative amendments and strategies, including labor right and labor code, the Law about the Minimum Monthly Salary, social protection programs, employment strategy and annual state support programs for employment promotion, occupational safety and related legislative and regulatory acts of the "Health and Labor Inspection Body", education-labor market cooperation, SME issues, etc.

The objectives of the Collective Agreement are:

  • Promotion of decent work in Armenia,
  • Social protection and employment promotion of vulnerable groups, especially people with disabilities,
  • Occupational safety and health,
  • SME development,
  • Employment promotion in the country, including programs for women and youth,
  • Development of social partnership at various levels,
  • Improvement of socio-labor relations and deriving economic relations in the country.

The Trilateral Commission consists of 15 members (5 from each side). The Commission sessions are held 4 times a year, and its management is carried out on a rotational basis since 2020. The period of October 2021 – October 2022 was chaired by RUEA.

In the field of vocational education (VET), there is another trilateral commission - the "National Council for Vocational Education and Training Development", which was established in 2008.

The Council's agenda includes:

  • improvement of VET legislation,
  • promotion of social partnership in VET institutions (colleges, schools),
  • increasing the role of employers and social partnership in the framework of education-labor market cooperation,
  • skills improvement,
  • development and adjustment of educational standards,
  • development of work-based learning,
  • promotion of occupational safety and health (OSH) in the training programs,
  • promotion of youth employment,
  • education in line with professions and skills demanded by the labor market,
  • promoting the activities of career centers,
  • continuous cooperation with the European Training Foundation (ETF), adaptation of the best international practices in the VET field.
  • effective implementation of other EU support programs.

The National Council for Vocational Education and Training Development has 21 members (7 representatives from each side), the commission is chaired by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport in Armenia. Sessions are held 3 times a year. The Council is an advisory body to the Government of Armenia in the field of VET.

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