The General Council of CNSM: We need to be more daring in our actions!

Trade unionists pledged to undertake a series of actions to protect the rights and promote the interests of trade union members, given the socio-economic situation in the country. The General Council of CNSM adopted a decision to this effect during the meeting of Thursday, November 24th.

The members of the General Council call the Government upon the establishment of the minimum salary indicating concrete quantities for the upcoming years and by 2020 reaching a size of 50-60% of the average wage and 50% increase in wages in the public sector. However, trade unionists require the inclusion in the draft state budget for 2017 the financial resources necessary to increase the minimum salary and wages in the public sector.

Members of the General Council also urge to continue negotiations in order to improve the Labour Code and prevent development of a new code, at the same time asking to be considered proposals to implement the concept of reforming the current pension system, but also to intensify appropriate measures to counteract the informal economy, development and approval of a national strategy to combat “illegal work” and the practice of payment of wages “in envelopes”.

The requests to the Parliament aim to support the proposals made by trade unions to the draft law on amending and supplementing certain acts in respect of the realization of tax and customs policy for 2017 and prevent the repeal of employment evidence under labour books, to establish a alternatively filing system, and initiate consideration and adoption of the Law on meal vouchers.

Other requests will be submitted to the National Commission for Consultations and Collective Bargaining and to the Ombudsman.

“Given the low life expectancy of Moldovans, CNSM is categorically against raising the retirement age” – Oleg Budza

During the meeting of the General Council, Oleg Budza, president of CNSM, has raised several problems faced by employees at present, among them salary arrears and restriction of the right of association in trade unions in private enterprises.

The leader of CNSM is concerned by the phenomenon of the informal economy, which has a growing scale and reiterated the need to make changes to the Contravention Code, to tighten penalties for operators who practice “black” employment and remuneration “in envelopes”, also for those who do not pay salaries on time.

In this context, Igor Zubcu, vice-president Trade Union Federation “SĂNĂTATEA”, came up with the proposal that trade unions develop their own strategy to combat the informal economy and an action plan, to be implemented by each trade union separately.

Referring to pension reform, Oleg Budza pointed out that this is as expected as it is painful and that trade unions exposed categorically against raising the retirement age for men and women in conditions of low life expectancy of the population of our country.

In turn, Vera Platon, president of the territorial inter-branch trade union Council from district Rezina, appeared alarmed that a majority of women will not get to retire, being affected by cardiovascular disease and cancer at an early age, due in large to noxious work conditions.

Maria Cotorobai, president of the territorial inter-branch trade union Council from district Cahul, proposed that the formula for calculating pensions, elaborated at present moment, to be applied only to civil servants employed after the adoption of the new pension system and for those having a working experience of over 15 years when implementing the new formula, to make use of current legislation.

“Trade unions must be cohesive and work together to seek solutions to protect the interests of its members” – Dumitru Ivanov

Dumitru Ivanov, president of the Trade Union Federation of Education and Science, urged trade union members from all branches of the national economy to pool their efforts and strengthen teamwork. “We must be united and seek solutions together to protect the interests of our members, because we face the same problems,” he said.

In the same context, Vlad Canțîr, president of the Federation “SINDASP” stressed that the issue of solidarity in trade unions is a major one and that trade union members should be more daring in their actions. “Perhaps the time has come to organize a protest of scale, to join all interested, when it comes to changing the pension system, the labour code and the implementation of other measures that come to the disadvantage of employees”, he suggested.

“Guaranteeing the right to vote in the CNSM Confederal Committee for the Council of Women and the Youth Commission” – Angela Otean

Other proposals in the General Council meeting on Thursday came from the Council of Women and the Youth Commission of the CNSM.

Thus, Angela Otean, vice-president of Women’s Council considers it necessary to guarantee the right to vote in the Confederal Committee of the CNSM for the two mentioned structures, which will ensure a fair trial for exercising the right exposure for women and young people in trade unions. Tatiana Marian, president of Youth Commission, urged trade unions to work towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals set out in the Agenda 2030 for the promotion and implementation of youth policies.