Starting from 15 April 2024, the amount of per diem expenses for business trips of employees of ‘Ukrzaliznytsia’ within Ukraine has increased and amounts to UAH 300.
This amount has not changed since April 2021: over the past three years, railway workers have been paid UAH 250. At the same time, state employees have been receiving a per diem of UAH 300 since 2022.
Now the daily allowance for railway workers has increased by UAH 50, or 20%. Meanwhile, the consumer price index (inflation) increased by 42.3% during this period. It is therefore clear that for an employee, this increase does not provide an opportunity to cover food and other expenses during a business trip.
This amount is also the minimum wage to meet the needs of employees who are mobile or travelling or work on a shift basis – track workers, drivers, electricians, conductors, etc. – so its increase by UAH 50 is clearly insufficient.
Can the employer set a higher amount? Yes, as long as it does not exceed 0.1 times the minimum wage established by law as of 1 January of the tax year (in 2024, UAH 710). And the trade union appealed to Ukrzaliznytsia twice in 2022 to revise the amount of per diem. In response, the company cited its loss and was ready to consider this issue if its financial situation improved.
And now we have a profit of almost UAH 5 billion, so it is time to establish a fair amount of per diem expenses.
Today, on 22 April, the trade union sent an open letter to the chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia with a corresponding demand.
