The BWI and EFBWW published a joint statement urging the Ukrainian Parliament to stop the attacks to workers’ rights.
After the Ukrainian labour movement with international solidarity help reverted attacks of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) on workers’ and trade union rights in 2019 and 2020, the parliamentarians are again considering several law proposals, which if adopted, would clash with international and regional labour standards and would seriously limit workers’ rights and the ability for trade unions to represent the workers. This has been confirmed by several reports, including by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
EFBWW General Secretary Tom Deleu reminded that under the association treaty between the EU and the Ukrainian republic, progress should be achieved in political, economic and legal areas. This also includes the respect for workers’ rights, both in Ukraine and abroad. “In that regard, we are very alarmed by the growing number of Ukrainian construction workers moving to EU countries, often working and living in very precarious conditions and without any protection from the Ukrainian government. We insist that migration must always take place in safe and secure circumstances. Ukrainian workers and families cannot be left behind!”
Full statement