Trade unions against privatization of state enterprises

The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova (NCTUM) opposes the mass privatization of big enterprises in which the state holds shares. The privatization list includes 190 joint-stock companies with state capital of energy, bank, agricultural and industrial sectors.

Oleg Budza, NCTUM’s President, declares that trade unions tried to exclude some objects included in the privatization list, like the Glass factory of Chișinău, Preventorium-Sanatorium ”Constructorul”, ”Moldova”  Sanatorium of Truscaveț, Ukraine.

„In these enterprises were invested both financial and human resources and they could be excluded from the privatization list. We insisted upon this and spoke with the Minister of Economy, Valeriu Lazăr, but the Government decided the privatization of these objects, being totally responsible for the said decision”, Budza mentioned.

The NCTUM’s President affirms that the Executive’s major arguments are these enterprises cause losses and don’t have big profit. „Of course, some enterprises don’t have positive financial results. Despite this, at the enterprises work people, they have a job place and a guaranteed salary and the privatization could be a danger for their security. After the privatization, the new owners, first of all, want to reimburse the invested money and start to reduce the expenses, salaries and employees”, the trade union leader specified.

Oleg Budza affirms that he will insist to include the NCTUM’s leaders and the branch trade unions presidents into the Privatization commission in order to participate in the negotiations with their partners. The NCTUM’s representatives want to supervise the observation of social safeguards: the collective labour contracts, avoidance of staff reduction, decrease of salaries etc.

Trade Unions Informational Centre