On 21 July 2024, the Odesa Railway Trade Union celebrated a significant date – 88 years since its establishment. This is a long and difficult path of tireless struggle to protect fair working conditions and the welfare of railway workers.
Over all these years, the Odesa Railway Trade Union has consistently defended the labour rights and socio-economic interests of employees and labour veterans, assisted the primary trade union committees in organising their work, and taken a strong position in negotiations with the employer to ensure the principles of social justice for railway workers.
Igor Solovyov, chairman of the Odesa Road Trade Union, rightly noted the current situation in which we have to work: ‘Today, in the context of a large-scale war and constant attempts by the Ukrzaliznytsia administration to shift all the problems of the industry onto the shoulders of ordinary railway workers, we really need to show our cohesion, integrity and true unity. Only together can we succeed in this fight against the so-called ‘top and crisis managers’ who continue to illegally restrict railway workers’ salaries and social benefits provided for in collective agreements even now, in the face of inflation and rising prices for products and services. And this is despite the profits that the company has earned. I am confident that only together we will be able to overcome all the difficulties and defend the rights of employees to fair and decent working conditions.’
We would like to congratulate our colleagues from the Odesa Road Trade Union on the anniversary of its establishment! We are convinced that thanks to experience, professionalism and cohesion, it is possible to overcome any adversity.
