EU social partners high-level mission to Kyiv expressed the solidarity of the European trade union movement and of SGI Europe for Ukraine, its people, their trade unions and employers’ organisations.
The ETUC and SGI Europe are calling for the EU to do more to help Ukraine make the significant advances needed on social policy for it to make progress towards membership.
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and SGI Europe General Secretaries Esther Lynch and Valeria Ronzitti were in Ukraine on a high-level social partner mission for meetings with ministers and members of parliament about how to reinforce social dialogue in the country, which became a candidate for accession last year.
The ETUC and SGI Europe are calling for a social partners summit to be held before the next EU-Ukraine summit in 2024.
This visit of a high-level delegation of EU social partner representatives on 2-3 October 2023 can mark a turning point. The role of social partners and social dialogue must be reinforced for the country to deliver for enterprises and for working people in line with the European social model.
Following meetings with FPU and KVPU trade unions, Esther Lynch, ETUC General Secretary, said:
“Working people are keeping the country going through the hardship and destruction inflicted by the Russian invasion. They need support. It is crucial for that the EU institutions support Ukraine, including in its bid to reach social standards that deliver for workers today and into the future.
“The EU is in a key position to help. With billions of euros in support coming into Ukraine, it must lead by example and ensure that working people employed with this money have decent conditions and collective bargaining protection."
Following meetings with the employers’ organisations AOEU and FEU, Valeria Ronzitti, SGIEurope General Secretary, said:
“A strong national level social dialogue, built on representative employers and trade unions is the best way for Ukrainian social partners to get ready for EU integration and its social acquis”
“SGIs and public services employers are highly committed to support this process, in particular by including Ukrainian employers in their social dialogue and lobby activities. The several employers organisations and company representatives we met during this solidarity mission are an example of resilience as well as commitment to bring Ukraine back better: they can count on SGI Europe to be at their side.”
