The social partners agreed on the need for more action measures in order to promote the principles of decent work in the Republic of Moldova

Every year, on October 7, the “World Day for Decent Work” is celebrated worldwide. On this day, the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) organized an online debate, in the format of a round table, entitled “Creating Decent Jobs – a Common Goal of the Social Partners”.

The event was attended by the CNSM leadership, trade union leaders from national-branch trade union centers, representatives of territorial trade unions, representatives of the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of employers’ organizations and international organizations.

During the discussions, participants referred to the role of the social partners in creating decent jobs, social policy priorities to ensure a decent living, economic recovery in the context of the pandemic, prospects for decent work creation, and compliance with the legislation in the field of labor relations.

According to Sergiu Sainciuc, vice-president of the CNSM, today’s discussions have the role of highlighting deficiencies in decent work, in order to contribute to the development of a social dialog aimed at increasing the living standards for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, through decent wages, safe working conditions, fair and adequate social economic protection, compliance with international standards in the field work.

Marcel Spatari, Minister of Labor and Social Protection in Moldova, said that social dialogue is one of the Government’s priorities, but there are still shortcomings in this regard, including in the area of labor relations regulation. “Our intention is to resume social dialogue at national level as soon as possible by reviving the National Commission for Collective Consultation and Bargaining. Social dialog must take place effectively at several levels: national, regional, sectoral and enterprise level. We intend to improve collective bargaining processes, in cooperation with trade unions and employers’ organizations”.

Dan Perciun, Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Social Protection, Health and Family of Moldova, declared that although some achievements have been achieved in some social-economic areas, the situation regarding the decent work continues to be precarious, being aggravated by the economic crisis and the pandemic crisis. “The provisions regarding the minimum wage in the economy must be amended so that there is only one minimum wage. We are convinced that the minimum wage must be increased. We need to find consensus between the interests of the business environment and the needs of people employed in the field of work, in order to see important changes in the field of wages and social protection”.

“We are the ones who are advocating every day to improve the situation on the labor market by creating new jobs and attracting foreign investment in the national economy, in order to have as many enterprises as possible which provides decent jobs.

However, we are going through a complicated period and businesses need incentives to overcome the economic crisis. It is difficult to maintain decent jobs when the existence of the business is questioned. Social dialogue plays an important role in overcoming existing problems and we are open to work together to increase the level of decent work in the country”, said Vladislav Caminschi, Executive Director of the National Confederation of Employers in Moldova.

In her speech, Ala Lipciu, National Coordinator of the International Labor Organization, referred to the fact that today, October 7, the Republic of Moldova and the International Labor Organization signed a new Memorandum of Understanding, setting out the vectors for sustainable development and decent work for 2021-2024 period, focused on inclusive and productive employment for young people, effective protection at work and improved social dialogue.

On the occasion of World Day for Decent Work, the participants at the round table adopted an Appeal in which notes that the principles of decent work in the Republic of Moldova are not ensured, which erodes the confidence of working people in a better future and the desire to contribute to country’s development.

In order to change this situation, the social partners must, as a matter of priority, decide on the following:

• improve mechanisms for subsidizing the creation of new jobs;
• stimulate young people to create and open their own businesses;
• increase and set a single minimum wage per country of at least 3100 lei;
• improve and ensure compliance with the provisions of Law no.270/2018 on the unitary system of salaries in the budget sector in the part related to the payment of the annual premium;
• reduce the tax burden on employees by increasing personal income tax exemptions and returning to spouse tax exemptions;
• liquidation and non-admission of arrears in the payment of salaries;
• adequate funding from the state budget for health, education and care systems;
• provide sufficient financial resources for implementing measures in order to support the population and the business environment in the context of the pandemic and the restrictions adopted, including measures to support employees and subsidies economic operators in order to maintain jobs and create harmless working conditions under the Covid-19 pandemic adopted by the Government on 30 September 2021;
• promote social partnership at all levels by setting up appropriate commissions at branch, territorial and unit level, and by concluding collective agreements and collective bargaining agreements;
• non-acceptance of the Labor Code changes to the detriment of employees;
• ensure the efficient activity of the State Labor Inspectorate;
• provide the necessary resources in both the real and the budget sectors for vocational training and further training, and encouraging through tax incentives for lifelong learning;
• increase the share of wages in turnover and the structure of expenses so as to ensure a fair distribution of companies’ income between employers and employees.

We specify that, this year, at the initiative of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the generic of the World Day for Decent Work is “Just Jobs”. In this regard, Sharan Barrow, ITUC General Secretary, said: “Governments must have a priority – jobs. They must return to full employment. It provides the basis for the economic security and social justice. ITUC’s demand is to reach the goal of creating 565 million jobs and formalizing at least half of informal jobs by 2030 year”. The World Day for Decent Work is the time of public-social forces’ mobilization, when trade unions from all over the world claim to ensure decent and fair pay for work, quality jobs, safe social protection, respect for employees’ rights and freedoms.

Department of mass-media and international relations