Railway workers in Ukraine continue to operate under martial law. Just like at the beginning of the war, when the first attacks hit the railway line, the enemy continues to shell critical infrastructure. There are injuries among the workers, and unfortunately, there are also deaths. The issue of providing protective equipment, especially for those railway workers who work in hazardous areas or are involved in reconstruction work on a daily basis, remains unresolved.
We asked Tetyana Verbovetska, head of the primary trade union organisation of railway workers at Zaporizhzhia Railway Directorate and head of the professional section of transportation and commercial work of the Trade Union Council, about the problematic situation in structural and production units, using the example of transportation and commercial work.
– Tatyana Vladlenivna, could you tell us about the conditions in which your colleagues are currently working at the stations in Zaporizhzhia?
– Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the enemy has occupied most of Zaporizhzhia region. That’s why dozens of stations are on the uncontrolled territory. The operation of the frontline stations that have not been captured by the enemy is ensured by railway workers who continue to perform their duties and have not left Zaporizhzhia. We understand that many people have moved across the country or taken refuge abroad.
Train drivers, signallers and other railway workers who work on the track, I’m talking about the structure where I am the head of the primary, work in extremely difficult conditions due to the proximity to the front line. Every day they risk their lives and the likelihood of getting injured, especially with shrapnel, is very high. We have to protect them, we have to provide them with protective equipment to prevent injuries.
– You have repeatedly raised this issue at meetings of the professional section of transport services and commercial work of the Trade Union Council. Have you made any progress in this area?
– At the very first meeting of the section, which we convened in October 2022, we voiced this problem as a red line. ‘Workers urgently need protection!’ We insisted on bulletproof vests, helmets and goggles. The same was emphasised in the proposals we sent along with the protocol. By the way, our proposals included the creation of a joint commission. I know that this issue was raised not only in our section, but also by locomotive engineers, carriage drivers and other businesses. However, no one gave a concrete answer, and the same goes for bomb shelters. Many employees still have nowhere to hide. The corridor of an enterprise is not a shelter in our region. This issue also needs to be addressed immediately at the level of the regional branch and the management of Ukrzaliznytsia.
– In your opinion, what kind of helmets and bulletproof vests are needed when it comes to protective equipment? Perhaps, what class of protection? What weight, if it is a bulletproof vest?
– Let’s think logically. We have repeatedly bought bulletproof vests and Kevlar helmets for our colleagues in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We already understand something. I am sure that our other trade union organisations have done the same. The main thing is that it should be reliable protection, i.e. certified and made of modern materials – lightweight, not 18-19 kg, which neither the driver nor the carriage driver can work a full shift in. These should be bulletproof vests weighing up to 8-9 kg.
– Have there been any cases in your divisions where employees have been injured by shrapnel?
– Yes. I can immediately recall the case when our train assembler received a shrapnel wound to the head during manoeuvres last year during a rocket attack. He survived and received the first group of disability. But, for the sake of understanding, several fragments remained in his head because they are inoperable. What if he had been wearing a Kevlar helmet when he completed the manoeuvres? Perhaps his injuries would not have been so severe. I know about similar cases at the Southern Railway. Of course, no one can give a 100% guarantee, but there is a certain certainty that it can save lives. And life is the most valuable thing. We now have more than 10,000 railway workers defending our country. This is very significant for the work of Ukrzaliznytsia. Given the shortage of qualified personnel, the issue of preserving the lives and health of employees is of utmost importance. It needs to be addressed immediately. So is the issue of shelters during air raids. They may be mobile, but they must be there. Until people feel safe, what will keep them there?
The issue of providing employees with protective equipment in wartime has been constantly raised at our various trade union events. Back in 2022, the trade union purchased and handed over 24 sets of helmets, bulletproof vests and goggles to the locomotive crews of the Donetsk Railway regional branch, to the Mykolaiv locomotive depot for the Kherson turnaround depot and to Kryvyi Rih for the Nikopol turnaround depot using the funds allocated by JSC Ukrzaliznytsia. But thousands of such kits are needed. Railway workers need ironclad protection.
According to our information, Ukrzaliznytsia is already taking steps to address this issue. The trade union, together with international partners, is providing comprehensive assistance to speed up this process.
