Saturday, June 3, 2023
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The Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum is a network of more than 140 non-governmental organizations in Ukraine that defends Ukrainian interests within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. Its members share European values, and it is for them that we fight — for freedom, for the rights of our people, making incredible efforts for this at the cost of human lives, colossal losses in all spheres of life: mental health, material, technical, institutional, etc. UNP is not only about organizations — it is a much larger community of Ukrainians: employees and members of their families. Moreover, the platform includes organizations with few employees, a representative office in one of the regions, and organizations with representative offices in many regions of Ukraine and thousands of members — such as trade unions and employers' organizations. Therefore, when we talk about the UNP, we are talking about thousands of citizens of Ukraine who found themselves in difficult conditions due to Russia's military aggression.
The war created a new reality in which Ukraine lives today. Ensuring the stability, security, and well-being of Ukrainian organizations, their families, and employees is an important element of the functioning of civil society in Ukraine. Help in adaptation to new realities, psychological support, and satisfaction of the primary needs of UNP members are on the Platform's agenda.
As part of the «Together to Victory» project: supporting sustainability, security, and well-being of the UNP EaP CSF members, the survey of the member organizations of the UNP was conducted regarding the conditions of their activity and main needs the organizations faced with the beginning of a full-scale invasion. We invite you to familiarize yourself with its results.
On January 11, the webinar "Grant Management to Support the Capacity of Civil Society Organizations" was held.
More than 100 participants joined the webinar. A significant number of participants also watched the broadcast online.
The webinar once again confirmed that a strong civil society had been formed in Ukraine, which, despite difficult conditions, maintaining its constancy, stability, and strength, is ready to respond to new challenges, work for Ukraine's victory in this war and defend its right to be democratic, European successful state.
INTRODUCTION
Small and medium-sized business (SMB) is a basis for economic development, employment and creation of new jobs and the key source of budget revenues in any country.
The relevant regulatory and legal framework builds on the term “small and medium-sized enterprise”. Small and medium-sized enterprises include businesses with up to 250 employees, up to EUR 50 million of annual income as well as sole traders. In the Ukrainian context, the terms “small and medium-sized business” and “small and medium-sized enterprise” share the same acronym — SME. This makes the two terms equal and fails to demonstrate the important role played by sole traders (ST) in small and medium-sized business.
In this study, SME will be used as abbreviation for small and medium-sized enterprises, and SMB — as abbreviation for the whole sector of small and medium-sized business (legal entities and sole traders).
SMB’s share in Ukraine’s economy is as large as 99%. SMB employs 79.1% of Ukraine’s total workforce. Therefore, public authorities should elaborate social and labour policies primarily with due consideration of the opinion of representatives of small and medium-sized business.
Ukraine’s small and medium-sized business has its unique characteristics, among which:
- High level of distrust in public authorities and NGOs in the SMB sector;
- Decentralised support infrastructure for small and medium-sized business;
- Poor management resulting from inconsistent vertical and horizontal communication between public authorities regulating the small and medium-sized business and lack of proper communication between public authorities and representatives of SMB at both the national and regional levels;
- Lack of knowledge, culture of and experience in market relations both among public authorities and in the SMB environment;
- Poor representation of SMB in the decision-making process in social and labour sector.
Taking account of these peculiarities for the purposes of reforming and regulating the social and labour sector will facilitate better communication between the business and public authorities, improve the quality of managerial decisions, increase employment rates and develop the SMB in the country.
Efficiency of the SMB policy depends on whether or not public authorities and the business have a common vision of the future in this sector. That is why the policy-making process should build on transparent and continuous cooperation between public authorities and representatives of the SMB.
As provisional application of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement has started on 1
November 2014, institutional setup envisaged by the Association Agreement has been launched.
Civil society organizations were the first to take action and start building up the EUUkraine
Civil Society Platform, which will be established in accordance with the Articles 469-
470 of the Association Agreement.
The process was formally launched in May 2014, when an initiative group gathered. In
July, after the Association Agreement was signed, the Steering Committee of the Constituent
Assembly of the Ukrainian side of the Civil Society Platform (CSP) was formed.
On 7 November, the Constituent Assembly of the Ukrainian side of the CSP, which was
held in President Hotel (Kyiv), has finalized preparatory work.
According to the Association Agreement, the CSP “consists of members of the European
Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on the one hand, and representatives of civil society on
the side of Ukraine, on the other, as a forum to them to meet and exchange views.” The Platform
should be informed about the decisions and recommendations of the Association Council
(bilateral governmental body of the Association), as well as provide its own recommendations
which should be considered by official bodies of Ukraine and the EU.
The process of establishment of the Ukrainian side of the CSP was transparent, public,
inclusive and open. More than 250 NGOs took part in establishing the Platform, while 165
participated in the Constituent Assembly directly.
The European side that is responsible for establishment of the CSP is the European
Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and to sustain cooperation with the EEAC was one of
the priorities of the constituent process.
As a result of preliminary consultations with the EESC, number of the CSP members will
be 30 (15 + 15), equal number from both sides. So, the main goal of the constituent process was
to propose transparent and inclusive procedure which would enable to elect 15 representatives of
civil society and social partners who would constitute the first composition of the CSP from the
Ukrainian side.
On April, 14.
In Kyiv it have been organized a meeting of regional representative EFFAT Mary Kurzina with Deputy Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Workers of the tourism, sanatorium and hotel industry Svetlana Vnuchko. Also this meeting attended the chairman Ukrainian Alliance of Trade Unions , Chairman Federation of Trade Unions of workers in small and medium enterprises of Ukraine Viacheslav Roi.
During the meeting they discussed real situation of the trade union movement in Ukraine, Ukrainian trade union cooperation with tourism EFFAT, prospects of integration into EFFAT.
During this discussion, Viacheslav Roi told the history of development ( over 24 years) of the Federation of Trade Unions of Small and Medium Enterprises of Ukraine, history of Ukrainian Alliance of Trade Unions. Also he noticed that today Ukraine face the reformatting of the trade union movement. He voiced the problems of collective bargaining in small businesses , the need to prepare professional organizers, social issue in investment projects, importance of international cooperation.
Svetlana Vnuchko focused attention on paydays in "envelopes", seasonal work, inability to dialogue with the international tourism industry nets, reducing the number of employees in connection with the occupation of the Crimea, the inability to defend the interests of more than 5 thousand salaried employee - union members - facing redundancy due to the transition of the Crimea under Russian jurisdiction, disrupt the tourist season in the resort regions.
M. Kurzina told about the history and development of EFFAT and IUF, the specifics of the trade unions of the tourism industry affiliates to EFFAT.
Following the meeting, participants agreed on the need for a round table in Lviv (Ukraine) and the need to participate in EFFAT Tourism Sector General Assembly on 25 April 2014 in Brussels as observers for ukrainian trade union representatives.
Statement
of the Presidium of the Federation of trade unions of workers of small and average enterprise of Ukraine
Recently implemented reforms in Ukraine looked promising. Signing the agreement with EU was to set Ukraine’s position for reforms. Thus, it would become a signal for investors and international institutions worldwide, that Ukraine takes its modernization seriously and country becomes predictable and reliable partner.
European integration is not a short-term solution for our country. It's a path where Ukraine has to apply modern European social standards (decent job conditions and salaries, education, retirement provision, work security), reach the economics competitiveness level, rule of law, and, as result, better quality of life of all its citizens.
Proposals to the meeting with representatives of
European Economic and Social Committee
Kyiv, 21 November 2013
Most part of the debate around signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in Ukrainian civil society has until now been focused on the civilizational aspect of this step and the opportunities arising to strengthen democratic institutions and practices in Ukraine. Along with such considerations, a critical component of the Association Agreement is a Deep Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Ukraine.
This agreement will have specific short- and long-term socio-economic impact on the Ukrainian economy and, consequently, employment and economic well-being of every wage worker in Ukraine. While in the long run we can talk about opportunities arising for Ukrainian companies in the single market and new jobs creation, in the short term we can also expect a number of adaptive risks for certain sectors of the Ukrainian economy and the labour market as a whole. Therefore, during the adaptation period after signing the Agreement, trade unions should play a key role to develop mechanisms to protect and promote the rights of employees during possible reorganizations or liquidations of some enterprises under new competitive pressures.
We are convinced that specific socio-economic consequences for every wage worker in Ukraine will determine the attitudes of the population and support for further European integration processes.
The role and tasks of Ukrainian trade unions at the present stage
The most important problem faced by modern Ukrainian society is constantly growing in justice. The main reason for this injustice is hidden in our authorities.In order to deal with it we should develop civil society institutions, the institutions that can stand the authorities and control it. One of these institutions is trade unions. These are the organizations that have to fight for justice now, defend the rights and interests of workers.
On Wednesday, the 29th of September across Europe the wave of strikes has swept. Trade unions demand to increase number of workplaces and to accept effective measures on restoration of economy without sharp reduction of budgetary expenses, transfers CNN.
In the Forum will take part more than 600 businessmen and top-managers from all Ukraine, and also representatives of the state structures.
>>15 members have taken part in Plenum work Are glad. Natalia Kozhevina , which is the Honourable Head (Head Federations Are glad) presided.
>>The head of Federation of trade unions of workers of small and average enterprice of Ukraine Viacheslav Roi has addressed to the public prosecutor of the Zaporozhye area concerning activity of Zaporozhye trade-union organization "Ednannya". As UNIAN’s correspondent transfers to press conferences in Zaporozhye, to the devoted situation round a city car market, Viacheslav Roi has informed that the reference to Office of Public Prosecutor is caused by discrepancy of actions of Zaporozhye professional organization " Ednannya " to requirements of the Law of Ukraine "About trade unions, their rights and activity guarantees".
>>At Congress 42 delegates from the member organizations of Federation have been selected (according to the established quota Plenum Federations from 1/22/2010 - on 10 delegates from All Ukraine trade unions Are glad and on 3 delegates from regional, local, other branch, interbranch, regional member organizations).
>>At a meeting from Federation of trade unions of workers of cooperation and other forms of business of Ukraine there were Kozhevina Н. and Roi V. Performance of the Head of the state has been devoted at social and economic problems in Ukraine, to questions of overcoming of crisis and priority directions of development of the country.
>>On January 22nd 2010 the Federation of trade unions of workers of cooperation and other forms of enterprise of Ukraine hasn'ted the twentieth anniversary.
>>
