Authors
Parassat Beisenova1; Ardak Abdiraiymova1; 1 M. Tynyshbayev ALT University, Kazakhstan Discussion
In this study the major actors, who drive the labor conflicts would be identified, the resources used for escalation of conflicts would be indicated as well as the communication processes between the labor protesters and employers will be described. This research is highly relevant both in terms of policy dimension and academic standpoint. From the policy perspective, Kazakhstani authorities over the last two decades have been concerned with the labor protests that take place on a regular basis mainly in the petroleum industry of Western Kazakhstan and coal mines in the Central part of the country. From the academic perspective, the research on labor conflicts in extractive industries of Kazakhstan is significant for scholarly community in order to understand the tendencies of social movements as well as labor relations in Kazakhstan. Labor conflicts remain one of the most significant indicators of social tension and economic imbalance within industrial and post-industrial societies. This study aims to identify and analyze the major actors who initiate, drive, and sustain such conflicts, including workers’ collectives, trade unions, employers, and state institutions. By focusing on their interactions, the research highlights the distribution of power and interests that shape the dynamics of confrontation in the labor sphere. It examines communication processes between labor protesters and employers, revealing how negotiation strategies, framing techniques, and public discourse influence conflict trajectories. This work contributes to the understanding of labor conflicts as complex social processes driven not only by economic grievances but also by communication dynamics and symbolic struggles for recognition. The findings aim to inform policymakers, mediators, and labor organizations seeking to design more effective mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution in the contemporary labor market. 
