Last week, on 11 July, transport workers from the Trade Union of Railwaymen and Transport Construction Workes of Ukraine, the The Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine, the Federation of Maritime Trade Unions of Ukraine, the Federation of Aircraft Radar, Radio Navigation and Communication Workers’ Trade Unions of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Pilots and the Aircraft Workers‘ Trade Union of Ukraine were united at the Conference of the Federation of Transport Workers’ Trade Unions of Ukraine (FTTU).
A report on the work of the MTFTU during the full-scale war was presented. Important decisions were made and further steps were developed to take cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure to a new level.
The MTFTU’s work will focus, in particular, on:
– European integration orientation and strengthening ties with international trade unions;
– involvement of young activists from youth organisations;
– advocating for equal rights and opportunities for women;
– drafting a new Labour Code, the draft law ‘On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the Status of War Veterans, Guarantees of Their Social Protection”, which was developed by trade unions; amending the Law of Ukraine “On the Organisation of Labour Relations under Martial Law” No. 2136-IX of 15.03.2022, etc;
– support for the initiative of trade unions to declare certain provisions of the Law ‘On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on the Regulation of the Granting and Use of Leave…’ unconstitutional;
– work on the draft law on the minimum wage, etc.
The experience of the international community – the International and European Transport Workers’ Federations – has been identified as an important benchmark in the work of the MTWTF.
At the invitation of the MTWTU, the conference was attended by the guest of honour, our colleague, coordinator of the Nordic Transport Workers’ Federation, NTF (headquartered in Stockholm), Christer Norfall. The work of the international union is aimed at protecting workers of railways and maritime transport and infrastructure, seafarers, civil aviation, road transport, public transport, warehouses and logistics.
The large number of youth trade unionists and the problems specific to young people have made it necessary to find and develop new approaches and methods of interaction. Therefore, it was proposed to build a youth movement in the MTWTU, which would be represented by the MTWTU Youth Council.
We remind you that the heads of the MTFTU affiliates represent the interests of their trade union members in the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council, the Joint Representative Body of Representative All-Ukrainian Trade Union Associations at the national level and their working bodies, as well as in state social insurance bodies.
The Federation of Transport Workers’ Trade Unions of Ukraine is headed by Oleksiy Semerun’, Chairman of the Trade Union of Railway and Transport Builders of Ukraine, Oleg Grygoriuk, Chairman of the Trade Union of Maritime Transport Workers of Ukraine, was elected as the first deputy, and Oleksiy Smolskiy, President of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union “Federation of Trade Unions of Aircraft Workers of Radar, Radio Navigation and Communication of Ukraine”, was elected as the deputy. The MTWTU Board and the Audit Committee are now in a new composition.
Viktoriia Kernos, Chairman of the Primary Trade Union of the Mykolaiv Sea Port Authority of the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine, was elected Chairman of the MTWTU Audit Committee.
