Subject Nowadays labor is regarded as a key factor of production, directly depending on demographic development trends. As Russia and Belarus saw crucial changes in the public reproduction indicators in the second half of the 20th century, the labor potential systemically reduced, thus causing a shortage of talent. Under the current circumstances, it is necessary to use available labor reserves which may be untapped by the Union State. Objectives The research attempts to find out and substantiate whether the Union State's economy can be provided with labor resources notwithstanding the unfavorable demographic situation. Methods The research employs traditional methods of research, such as analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization, and principles of systems and comprehensive approaches. Results I discerned the operational specifics of national markets of Russia and Belarus, which resulted in labor potential development trends seen in the Union State. They include stable employment and relatively low unemployment rates, preservation of numerous low-end jobs, employment in the informal sector of economy, poor social welfare. Conclusions and Relevance I propose and substantiate a set of measures to develop the labor potential of the Union State, which intend to create highly productive jobs, implement the supranational policy for higher flexibility of the labor market and social security, develop the Russian-Belarus relationships in the international labor migration control. As a conclusion, I emphasize the complimentary nature of labor market institutions, thus providing the rationale for a comprehensive approach to the proposed measures.
Keywords: labor potential, Union State, demographic transition, labor market
References:
Il'in V.A., Gulin K.A., Leonidova G.V., Davydova V.V. Trudovoi potentsial regiona: sostoyanie i razvitie [Labor capabilities of the region: Status and development]. Vologda, Vologda Research Coordination Center CEMI RAS Publ., 2004, 107 p.
Maslova I.S. Trudovoi potentsial sovetskogo obshchestva: voprosy teori i metodologii issledovaniya [Labor capabilities of the Soviet society. Issues of theory and methodology of research]. Moscow, IE RAS Publ., 1987, 32 p.
Pankratov A.S. Trudovoi potentsial v sisteme upravleniya proizvodstvom [Labor capabilities in the production management system]. Moscow, MSU Publ., 1983, 211 p.
Toksanbaeva M.S. Sotsial'nye interesy rabotnikov i ispol'zovanie trudovogo potentsiala [Social interests of workers and the use of manpower]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2006, 259 p.
Rossoshanskaya E.A. [The quality of labor potential outside large cities]. Ekonomicheskie i sotsial'nye peremeny: fakty, tendentsii, prognoz = Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast, 2018, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 164–179. (In Russ.) URL: Link
Lorant K. The Demographic Challenge in Europe. Brussels, European Parliament, 2005, 32 p.
Perevedentsev V.I. [Post-War Population Dynamics in the USSR and in Russia]. POLIS. Politicheskie issledovaniya = POLIS. Political Studies, 1995, no. 2, pp. 24–33. (In Russ.)
Topilin A.V. [Labor power and its opportunities for neoindustrialization of Russia]. Ekonomist = Eсonomist, 2016, no. 10, pp. 3–17. (In Russ.)
Shakhot'ko L.P. [Implementation of the demographic security programs and evaluation of their effectiveness in the Republic of Belarus]. Voprosy Statistiki, 2016, no. 9, pp. 38–48. (In Russ.)
Kapelyushnikov R.I. Konets rossiiskoi modeli rynka truda? [The close of the Russian labor market model?]. Moscow, HSE Publ., 2009, 80 p.
Shimanovich G., Skriba A. Rynok truda v Belarusi: osnovnye vyzovy [Labor market in Belarus: Key challenges]. Minsk, IPM Publ., 2010, 31 p.
Kolosnitsyna M.G., Gerasimenko M.A. [Labour force participation of older citizens and public policy]. Voprosy gosudarstvennogo i munitsipal'nogo upravleniya = Public Administration Issues, 2014, no. 4, pp. 47–68. URL: Link (In Russ.)
Popov A.V. [Unsolved problems in the employment sphere of modern Russia]. Ekonomika truda = Russian Journal of Labor Economics, 2017, no. 3, pp. 163–172. (In Russ.) URL: Link
Popov A.V. [Employees of standard and non-standard forms of employment on the regional labor market]. Sotsial'noe prostranstvo, 2017, no. 1. (In Russ.) URL: Link
Shevchenko S.V. [Application of flexible forms of employment in the Republic of Belarus]. Trudy BGTU. Ser. 5: Ekonomika i upravlenie = Proceedings of BSTU. Ser. 5: Economics and Management, 2013, no. 7, pp. 66–68. URL: Link (In Russ.)
Astrov V., Holzner M., Leitner S., Vidovic H. Social Protection and Social Inclusion in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. Vienna, European Commission, 2010, 78 p.
Vankevich E.V., Zaitseva O.V. [Non-standard employment: Essence, forms, size, and regulation]. Belorusskii ekonomicheskii zhurnal = Belarusian Economic Journal, 2015, no. 3, pp. 129–146. (In Russ.)
Pikulik A., Artemenko E. Tenevaya ekonomika Belarusi v regional'noi perspektive [The informal economy of Belarus from regional perspectives]. Minsk, IPM Publ., 2015, 19 p.
Gimpel'son V.E., Kapelyushnikov R.I. V teni regulirovaniya: neformal'nost' na rossiiskom rynke truda [In the shadow of regulation: Informality in the Russian labor market]. Moscow, HSE Publ., 2014, 800 p.
Pokida A.N. [“Shadow” labor market: Condition, formation features and prospects]. Gosudarstvennaya sluzhba = Public Administration, 2016, no. 5, pp. 12–17. (In Russ.)
Chekavinskii A.N., Lukin E.V., Gulin K.A. et al. Natsional'naya bezopasnost' Rossii: problem obespecheniya ekonomicheskogo rosta: kollektivnaya monografiya [Russia's national security: Issues of economic growth: a collective monograph]. Vologda, ISEDT RAS Publ., 2016, 300 p.
