A new meeting of the National Commission for Collective Consultation and Negotiation took place

The social partners met on Thursday, July 20, at the National Commission for Consultations and Collective Bargaining (CNCNC), chaired by Deputy Vice Premier Octavian Calmîc.

The parties have raised a number of important issues, one of which concerns measures taken by the Government of the Republic of Moldova to adapt the national legislation to the Convention of the International Labor Organization no. 81 on labor inspection following the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee of Experts of OIM.

According to the information provided by the Ministry of Economy, the main purpose of the Government’s reform in the field of state controls of entrepreneurial activity, was а simplify the controlling рrосеdure, to move to risk-based controls and to exclude the duplications and overlapping of competences of the multitude of control authorities.

Thus, in the case of state control in the field of labor, the labor relations will be further monitored by the State Labor Inspectorate (ISM), employment protection (occupational safety) being distributed to more supervisory bodies (10 agencies). The central administrative authority responsible for policies in the field of labor inspection remains the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Social and Family Protection.

The information presented has caused reactions from the social partners.

Sergiu Sainciuc, Vice-President of the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova (CNSM) mentioned that the trade unions are not against the reform of the control bodies just that, the other control bodies have the obligation to verify the production process or the quality, while ISM needs to focus on protecting the work of the staff working at the unit. „We are troubled by the fact that the employees will suffer. Let’s not liquidate a structure that worked, to create another one, which we do not know yet how effective will be”, pointed out Sainciuc.

Victor Talmaci, President of Federation of Building Trade Union and Building Materials Industry “SINDICONS” from the Republic of Moldova, proved to be skeptical about the fact that the reform will bring benefits to the state, employees and even employers. „You have no arguments in this respect. It is an unclear reform that does not provide guarantees. ISM is the only body that helps the employer who is at risk and must stay and function as before”, he pointed out.

„It is unclear why the duties of ISM are dismantled and given to other control agencies. That means we’ll have more checks, which will also diminish the quality of these. What is the reason of this reform?” showed to be puzzled Leonid Cerescu, the president of the National Employers’ Confederation of Moldova (CNPM).

Rodica Popescu, confederal secretary of the CNSM, found that both the position of the trade unions and the employers’ coincides with the aspect of respecting and maintaining the integrity of this organ, which is very important. „Why the state has made the decision to divide the responsibilities of ISM and not to strengthen its institutional capacities”, wanders she.

Deputy Vice-Premier Octavian Calmîc urged further discussions within other platforms to eliminate all misunderstandings on this subject.

Another topic subject on the agenda was the Collective Agreement project (national level), of making amendments and supplementing the Collective Agreement (national level), no. 2 of 09.07.2004 „Working time and resting time”. Some adjustments have been made to the document, proposed by CNSM, with them being completed “The list of professions permitted the daily duration of the 12-hour working time, followed by a rest period of at least 24 hours”.

The members of CNCNC also analysed some information on the situation of the employees of the “Railway of Moldova”.

According to Ion Zaporojan, the president of the Trade Union Federation of Railways of the Republic of Moldova, Salary debts currently account for 143 million lei, without social payments. These debts grow by 10 million lei each month, the employees of the company receiving their salaries only for February of this year, while some of them even for September 2016.

„The time has come for the administration of the enterprise, who is not capable to manage the situation, to be replaced by a professional one, who will make the appropriate reforms. It is needed the state aid, for a specified period, to ensure the continuing operation of the Railways (salaries, spare parts and fuel)”, demanded Zaporojan.

Octavian Calmîc acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and assured that all the responsible persons will be invited to the next meeting, including the corporate governance, to come not just with a report, but also with short, medium and long term solutions. „We commit ourselves to giving all the support, if the administration and the institution responsible for supervising the business activity proves us that this domain can be profitable, otherwise,  equipment investment and infrastructure upgrading will not be authorized”, said the deputy vice-premiere.

Within the same meeting, the social partners examined and supported the medium-term budgetary framework for 2018-2020, and approved the CNCNC Activity Plan for the second semester of 2017.

Department of mass media and international relations