The ITUC supports protest actions of Ukrainian unions

The International Trade Union Confederation, the largest world trade union organisation, fully supports the demands of the Ukrainian unions which have initiated a collective labour dispute with the Government and employers of Ukraine. For months the Government has been ignoring trade union appeals and proposals. In line with national legislation, the Ukrainian unions formally launched a collective labour dispute, which constitutes a necessary step for organising industrial action.

The Anti-crisis Trade Union Headquarters, set up by the joint representative body of trade unions, decided to organise a set of protest actions to further advance demands:

-  To entirely repay wage arrears;

-  To raise the minimum wage to the level of the actual subsistence minimum;

-  To index the wages to the inflation in 2014-2015;

-  To prevent adoption of laws restricting the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens;

-  To implement European principles of openness of government and to conduct genuine social dialogue.

This morning nearly 1000 workers, the members of Ukrainian trade unions have begun a picket at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in Kiev.

The ITUC joins in solidarity with Ukrainian unions and will be ready to support further protest actions by Ukrainian affiliates – the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine and the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine – to protect the rights and interests of Ukrainian workers and their families.

On behalf of the 175 million workers in the more than 160 countries and territories that the ITUC represents, we call on the Ukrainian Government and employers to take into consideration the voice of the working people and urgently start negotiations for remedying the failures of the current approach and securing working and living conditions that Ukrainian workers deserve in a Ukraine headed towards an EU future.

The respective protest letter was sent today to President Poroshenko