GCTU SUPPOTRTING ITS UKRAINIAN AFFILIATE
President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko
Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Timoshenko
Chairperson of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine Vladimir Litvin
The General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) affiliating national trade union centres from the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and 31 industrial Trade Union Internationals of the region, fully supports the just demands by the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FTUU), a major GCTU member-organisation, that the Ukrainian authorities should immediately take concrete measures to raise the living standards of workers, students, pensioners and all other citizens of the country.
Speaking for the 50 million union members organised by its affiliates, the GCTU declares its fraternal solidarity with the mass actions to be held by the FTUU on the 17th of October, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. We are convinced that workers of Ukraine have a right to express, openly and forcefully, their indignation over the growing poverty and unemployment, rising prices, and encroachments upon labour and trade union rights. This right of theirs is in agreement with the rules of international law and the international instruments ratified by Ukraine’s Parliament or approved by its authorities in any other way.
No allusions or references to the global economic crisis can justify the lack of actions by the Ukrainian authorities to ensure decent living and working conditions for their citizens. Meanwhile, the critical situation calls for urgent adoption of complex anti-crisis measures aiming to find a socially just way out of the current economic recession. We support the demands placed by the FTUU on President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, and deputies of the Supreme Rada, both in its Appeal of 23rd of September and in the course of subsequent events, as being well grounded.
The General Confederation of Trade Unions calls on President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko and deputies of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine to make urgent steps to take the country out of the current plight as early as possible, and raise substantially the living standards of the Ukrainian workers and people in general, and ensure decent rates of employment, wages, pensions and social benefits. This goal can hardly be achieved without establishing constructive dialogue with the social partners, and, therefore, the country’s supreme authorities must immediately enter into negotiations with the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine.
General Confederation of Trade Unions
Moscow, 15 October 2009