Ukraine: Unions agree to work together for labour rights

The BWI-affiliated Ukraine Construction and Building Materials Workers’ Union (PROFBUD) and the Woodworkers’ Trade Union of Ukraine signed an “association agreement” to jointly fight for labour rights and put a unified presence before employers and government authorities. 

PROFBUD President Vasyl Andreev said that the talks regarding close collaboration between the two unions started several years ago. “Despite the fact that both unions have a lot in common, and the joint belief that concerted actions will certainly help strengthen our respective capacities to protect workers’ rights, it took a lot of hard work to find the appropriate format for institutionalised collaboration,” he said.

Andreev said that the agreement opens new opportunities for close cooperation among the unions’ various organizational structures, mutual assistance in legal protection for trade union members, and joint actions for workers’ rights in the construction, building materials, wood and forestry industries.

BWI Regional Representative Coen van der Veer welcomed the institutionalised collaboration between the two unions. “I would like to congratulate the unions for taking this important step in building an inclusive and united trade union movement in Ukraine. Truly, with workers united, they will never be defeated,” he said.