As part of the 114th International Labour Conference currently taking place in Geneva, the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, Serhiy Byzov, held a meeting with the Director of the ILO Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV), Oliver Röpke, UNN reports.
"During the negotiations, I outlined the real state of affairs in Ukraine: the situation of trade union members under war conditions, the efforts and achievements of workers' organizations during this extremely difficult time. I spoke about the resumption of the National Tripartite Social and Economic Council's work and the return of trade union organizations to the House of Trade Unions," Serhiy Byzov reported.
Among the specific results achieved by the FPU are an agreement to increase the salaries of Pension Fund employees by 30% and labor remuneration for social sphere workers at a rate of 2.5 times the base salary on weekends and holidays. The issue of wage arrears for employees of the State Television and Radio Company and the Odesa Port Plant has also been resolved.
Byzov also emphasized that the tasks for the new stage were outlined by the IX Congress of the FPU, which recently took place in Kyiv. We should add that the congress specifically addressed the further consolidation and strengthening of the trade union movement in Ukraine, and the development of the role and significance of trade unions in the process of veteran reintegration.
"I once again invited Mr. Röpke to visit Ukraine — to see with his own eyes the heroic work of Ukrainians and the sacrificial struggle of warriors from the ranks of trade unions.
Oliver Röpke confirmed the ILO's full solidarity with Ukraine and emphasized that the support has not only a symbolic but also a completely practical dimension — through projects, programs, and close cooperation with the ILO office in Kyiv.
The support of the International Labour Organization is extremely important — both in peacetime, when one must think about defense, and during war, when we must plan for recovery today," stated Serhiy Byzov.
As a reminder
The 114th annual International Labour Conference has begun its work in Geneva and will continue until June 12. It has brought together representatives from 187 member states of the International Labour Organization. Representatives from Ukraine are also participating in the conference.
On the eve of the International Conference opening, a meeting of the International Trade Union Confederation was held, dedicated to the publication of the annual Global Rights Index 2026.
"The figures are discouraging. Violations of labor rights worldwide are increasing in parallel with the rise in the number of armed conflicts and the spread of authoritarian regimes. This is not a coincidence — it is a pattern," reported Serhiy Byzov.
The "Global Rights Index 2026" report itself indicates that in many countries, cases of violence against workers, arrests or detentions of trade union members, restrictions on the right to assembly, and limitations on judicial protection of workers' rights have become more frequent. Cases of denying workers the right to collective bargaining to improve working conditions have also increased. The situation is further exacerbated by military conflicts arising in various regions of the world.
"I will not stop repeating that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is largely responsible for the violation of not only labor rights but also human rights," emphasized ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle during the meeting.
During the opening of the International Labour Conference on June 1, the main challenges in the context of protecting workers' rights were outlined: the rapid development of AI, gender inequality, the impact of military conflicts and crises, the slowdown of progress in the field of decent employment, and the further deepening of inequality in income distribution.