The young trade unionists gathered at the CNSM Youth Commission Forum

The 7^th edition of the Young Trade Unionists Forum of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) took place in Chisinau between September 6-7, with the generic title “The collective labour agreement – the source of the guarantees for young people!”. The event organized at the Labour Institute gathered over 90 young trade unionists, representatives of the national-branch trade union centres.

This year, trade unionists identify the main issues faced by young people in businesses across the country and discuss the role of collective labour agreements. We mention that the event is part of the series of actions organized by the CNSM dedicated to the “Year of Collective labour agreements”. The purpose of the Forum is to contribute to increasing the role of the Collective Labour Agreement as a basic tool for enhancing the level of protection of the rights and social and economic interests of employees, trade union members.

At the opening of the Forum, social partners, representatives of the Government and employers’ organizations, presidents of the national-branch trade union centres, as well as guests from Romania, Belarus and the Russian Federation were present.

“We want young people to understand that through the Collective Labour Agreement various important socio-economic guarantees can be obtained, but for this you have to be a good negotiator, be well informed, and be insistent to solve the problems the employees are facing. It is a welcomed meeting for the active youth working in different branches, as they will find out what the experience of other states in this direction is, how to combine their efforts to be as effective as possible in the negotiations with the employers “, emphasized Oleg Budza, president of CNSM.

Elena Stoica, president of the CNSM Youth Commission, said that the mission of this Forum is to improve the provisions in the field of labour law with the addition of certain clauses favourable to young people. “Together with the young trade unionists we identify different ideas and solutions in this direction. Subsequently, the proposals of the young people will be included in a Resolution that will be presented to the national-branch trade union centres for analysis, so that these proposals can be included in both Collective Labour Contracts and Collective Labour Agreements (national level).”

Leonid Cerescu, president of the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova, said that this meeting is an opportunity for young people to know their rights when they hire at work, but also their bonds in relationships with employers.

Iulia Costin, State Secretary within the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, spoke to young people about state programs aimed at supporting entrepreneurial activities to start a business. “Young people are the ones who bring change and inspire us, but they need support, policies that would support them. The Government in implementing the reforms that have taken place lately targets young people. They need to know that they can quickly launch a business and participate in various national programs that stimulate the creation of new jobs. There is a significant need for new, small and medium-sized companies, especially in rural areas, to attract young people into the workforce and motivate them to stay work at home.”

Among the proposals put forward by the young people were the exclusion of the probationary period for employment, the exclusion from employment of the criteria of experience, the realization of the remunerated study practice, the employment in special conditions, the extension of the payment of the single indemnity payment to the youth specialists for all areas of work funded by the budget, the establishment of credit granting mechanisms for young specialists on preferential terms, utilities for the payment of communal services, wage increases for master and doctor, provisions for overtime work and harmful conditions, provision for young specialists with social housing, granting of additional leave.

Within the Forum, young trade unionists visited several enterprises in Chisinau, including J.S. “Apă Canal,” J.S. “Termoelectrica”, J.S. “Cricova”, Chisinau International Airport, to see how the provisions of Collective Labour Agreements are implemented, especially the issues related to the activity of young employees.

Forum participants had the opportunity to develop their professional and personal skills during trainings, workshops on the negotiation and conclusion of the Labour Contract, where experts in the field of legislation, social-economic issues, psychology in the negotiation process were present. Young people discussed the National Youth Development Strategy, guarantees and opportunities for young people of recruitment and retraining, success stories of young trade unionists from different countries.

Department of mass media and international relations of CNSM