A joint meeting of the Management Committee and the Presidium of the Council of the Interregional Trade Union (ITU) of Gazprom took place.

The Management Committee and ITU Council Presidium addressed the fulfillment of commitments set in the 2008 General Collective Agreement (GCA) of Gazprom and its subsidiaries. The meeting emphasized that almost all the commitments had been fulfilled.

Gazprom Administration specialized subdivisions, the Company’s subsidiaries heads, ITU Council and trade unions chairmen were instructed to give priority in 2009 to the fulfillment of GCA commitments surrounding social security provision to the employees, their family members and off-the-job pensioners.

ITU Council and Gazprom Administration specialized subdivisions were tasked to prepare a draft GCA for 2010-2012, arrange its discussion by subsidiary companies and submit it at the conference of Gazprom and subsidiary employees for approval.

Background:

The General Collective Agreement (GCA) of Gazprom and its subsidiaries for 2007 through 2009 was signed on December 21, 2006. GCA is applied to employers and all permanent employees, their family members, off-the-job pensioners, trade union staff employees of Gazprom, its subsidiaries and organizations, which have given authorization to conclude it.

GCA key objective is adjusting the interests of employers and employees in the form of a social partnership and, provided there is financial capacity, granting a broader scope of guarantees, allowances and compensations to employees than stipulated by the Russian legislation, other legal acts and the Gas Industry Agreement.

In 2008, according to GCA, Gazprom and subsidiary employees were provided with allowances and compensations, families with children and young employees were given welfare assistance, off-the-job pensioners were offered social support and safe and convenient working conditions were created.

In line with regional legal acts the employees were entitled to medical care, health resort and rehabilitation treatment, housing issues were resolved and additional pension coverage to the former employees was ensured.