23 October, 2024On 14 October, IndustriALL met with Ukrainian affiliates to assess the current living and working conditions situation, and strategize a path forward for post-war reconstruction. Discussions emphasized the critical need for unions to play a central role, ensuring workers’ rights and needs are safeguarded as Ukraine rebuilds.
IndustriALL general secretary, Atle Høie, stressed the importance of having these updates to identify where contributions can be made. He emphasized that the reconstruction will be massive and it is essential to have systems in place for how money will be distributed and the trade union movement’s involvement.
Ukrainian unions highlighted their challenges. Raised taxes have worsened the situation, placing additional strain on Ukrainians. Meanwhile, the country is losing highly skilled employees, who are essential for its future restructuring. Unions have also highlighted a lack of internet, electricity, coal, and other essential winter items as major challenges. Women have also been forced to go underground into mines as men are fighting in the war.
As winter approaches, unions said that while the nuclear sector is prepared, 80 percent of energy plants have been destroyed. This devastation places immense pressure on nuclear workers, who are now tasked with sustaining the country’s energy supply. Without energy, Ukraine cannot rebuild. Workers are risking their lives every day as they repair the infrastructure that has been damaged by constant shelling.
Valeriy Matov, president of IndustriALL affiliate Atomprofspilka said:
“We are ready to fight the challenges that are infront of us. We completed the repairs at plants and they are being used. The work is very slow and sometimes not of the highest quality, but we will solve problems one by one. We are also creating some protection systems.”
Much of the workforce has been lost, leading to a significant drop in trade union membership. The absence of membership fees has left unions financially vulnerable, struggling to continue their essential work. Casper Edmonds, an International Labour Organization (ILO) representative, provided an overview of the ILO’s work in Ukraine:
“We are documenting workers’ rights violations, we are following the situation in the mining and energy sectors and seeing that the situation is becoming worse for workers.”
Edmonds further indicated that the ILO is studying the policies of the USA and Japan, noting that there is a commitment to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction. However, it is critical to focus on workers in the energy sector, who will need to be upskilled for tasks ahead.
Unions voiced their urgent needs: transformers, generators, and financial assistance. With salaries painfully low, the need for investment in Ukrainian industries is more critical than ever. They stressed that trade unions must be included in the reconstruction process, not only to protect workers but also to ensure that workers’ needs are met. If unions are excluded, they fear the reconstruction effort may falter.
Brian Milakovsky and Volodymyr Vlasiuk, co-authors of the study: IndustriALL Policy for Ukraine’s Survival – Reversing 30 Years of Deindustrialization, prepared for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), presented key industrial policy recommendations for Ukraine’s reconstruction. These include establishing an industrial policy council empowered to propose legislative and regulatory reforms that will drive reindustrialization. The council would be supported by expert advisors to enhance Ukraine’s capacity to design and implement effective industrial policies. Crucially, the policy should prioritize localization and local content, while focusing on increasing arms production, decarbonizing energy systems for greater efficiency and resilience, and expanding financial support for reindustrialization efforts.
Mykhailo Volynets, president of Independent Trade Union of Miners - NPGU and Confederation of Independent Unions of Ukraine, (KVPU) said:
“Thank you to IndustriALL for your interest in Ukraine. We are doing everything we can to get the people back on the ground. Trade unions are insisting salaries be on par with inflation and GDP, this must include miners. We are trying to address different trade unions and working hard to get our country back.”
IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan said:
“We will continue to respond to the needs our our affiliates in Ukraine by mobilising all our efforts and resources. Ukrainian unions play an important role in the reconstruction of their country with a viable social and economic life and our solidarity is with them.”
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