At a trade union forum now underway in Ufa, trade unions of the BRICS countries said they opposed efforts to foment international tension and advocated the creation of a financial system detached from political developments across the world, Mikhail Shmakov, President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, said at a press briefing.

All BRICS countries' trade unions are against unleashing a new Cold War, he pointed out.

Mr Shmakov went on to say that BRICS trade unions are interested in curbing informal employment, which brings nothing but negative consequences as it deprives people of retirement and unemployment benefits.

Commenting on the recent meeting of trade union leaders with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Mr Shmakov expressed confidence that many of the proposals from the declaration that was submitted to the President will find their way into the BRICS leaders' work plan. Specifically, the declaration features recommendations to the BRICS governments to strengthen worker protection and establish a rating agency and a stock exchange as way of gaining leverage over the global economy.