(1st July 2014) Ukrainian trade unions are reporting that there are now constant attacks against their leadership and members by nationalist radicals. A recent meeting of the Presidium of the confederation was interrupted by a crowd seeking to intervene in the meeting. Similar elements in the Verhovna Rada, the Ukranian Parliament, have tabled a resolution seeking an investigation into the union activities and especially the use of the properties of the union. For many years there have been attempts to confiscate buildings, holiday and health resorts to make the work of the unions more difficult and to get the hands on prime real estate. The resolution in the Rada accuses the unions to have had relations with the past government, now considered to have been criminal. The unions underline that they have relations with the government and employers in defense of workers. But the unions have also come under threat of separatists in the Eastern part of Ukraine and especially in Luhansk where armed forced seek to force union leaders to renounce the links with the FPU and to subordinate themselves to the provisional government transferring the unions and the properties to them.
The union leadership underlines the nature of trade union work and that standing up for workers rights and interests in an independent manner can lead to conflicts with those who oppose fair treatment, equality and respect of workers. The unions recall that many of their members were active in the Maidan protests against corruption and authoritarian rule. The unions are supporting the development of Ukraine towards a modern democracy based upon European values. The European and global union movement are protesting against this interference and raised the issues with the Ukrainian and European authorities. Our concern is that the attacks of both sides are aimed to weaken and neutralise one of the few organised voices in the country and which are critical of the governments social and economic policies. The agreements of Ukraine with the IMF to obtain loans entail a restructuring and austerity policy that is driving prices of electricity, gas and water up. Also the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Ukraine foresees structural reforms.
For the statement of the FPU leadership:
For the EPSU protest letter:
For the ITUC and ETUC protest letter:
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- Ukrainian trade unions publish election manifest: democracy, wages, corruption, independent state
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