Trade Unions and a strong civil society are overlooked but vital aspects of reconstruction of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, martial law restrictions and veiled threats from Washington DC.  

Left MEPs today held a conference to bring together Ukrainian civil society actors with European policymakers to discuss the role of civil society, and Trade Unions in the resistance against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The discussions come as US President Donald Trump continues to pile increasing pressure on Ukrainians to hand over their natural resources and land in exchange for American promises of protection. 

Speakers included Ukraine’s Ambassador to the EU, journalists working under wartime conditions, care workers, environmentalists and academics who discussed the reconstruction of an equal, democratic Ukraine where workers’ rights are defended. Particular focus was paid to the impact of martial law on labour, the repercussions of vulture capitalism attracted to a struggling national economy, and the repression of Trade Unions in the occupied territories of Ukraine. 

MEP Li Andersson (Vasemmistoliitto, Finland) said: “In our support for Ukraine, we must also support Ukrainian workers and unions in their struggle for workers’ rights. Martial law has meant zero-hours contracts, restrictions on collective bargaining and increased working hours. Union actions and strikes have been banned. This is not the kind of social progress that Ukrainian workers want. We need to support Ukraine to meet international social and labour standards, which are also key elements of post-war reconstruction and EU accession negotiations.”

MEP Jonas Sjöstedt (Vänsterpartiet, Sweden) said: “The war in Ukraine is not only raging on the front lines. The battles taken by labour rights defenders, climate activists and women’s rights activists are shaping and will continue to shape Ukraine’s future. We must stand up in solidarity with these movements, especially in times of war, and we will continue to do so. We must continue to stand up for worker’s rights in the drafting of new labour codes in Ukraine, we must fight for the health care workers who work under even more dire conditions, and we must continue to drive change to stop the ecologically disastrous Russian shadow fleet.”