In Chisinau was held an international seminar for trade unionists from constructions – members of BWI

Trade unionists from around 20 countries, including Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Sweden and CIS countries, from 6 to 8 of February met in Chisinau to make an assessment of the projects cycle for 2014-2016 from the funding of the Building and Wood Worker’s International (BWI). Simultaneously, the participants planned the following projects cycle for 2018-2022, based on the strategic plan, following the needs and priorities of BWI.

Jasmin Redzepovici, deputy secretary of the BWI on education, said that information is the most powerful tool for the trade union movement. “If employees are not informed, they do not know how to defend their rights and to formulate claims. Therefore, our goal is to support all trade unions and develop connections that will serve as support for information dissemination, and share it with different countries. In the global economy where multinational companies play a big role, employees really need to know their rights. When they will know that, they will be able to talk and negotiate with their employers “, said Redzepovici.

Victor Talmaci, president of the Federation “SINDICONS” said that Moldovan trade unionists in the construction sector benefited from BWI support in the following areas: preparation of negotiations, ratification of Convention no.167 in construction and the creation of specialized courts in labour disputes. “We still need support in preparing professional negotiators, and skills to develop occupational standards for workers and engineering professions,” he said.

The trade union leader added that worldwide there are many regional meetings, the essential aim of which is to discuss the problems faced by trade unions, for their inclusion in the strategy of BWI. “It is important that the priority issues to materialize into concrete results for our members,” concluded Talmaci.
Building and Wood Worker’s International (BWI) is a global union federation of trade unionists in the sector, which comprises over 350 organizations from 135 countries and represents the interests of over 12 million members. Federation “SINDICONS” is a member of BWI for 20 years, and recently the Trade Union Federation of Forestry “SINDSILVA” of Moldova got the membership of the international structure.