The return of veterans to civilian work requires not only employers’ willingness to hire people with combat experience, but also systematic support — from physical and psychological recovery to workplace adaptation and the protection of labor rights. Trade unions can play an important role in this process by helping service members and veterans obtain the necessary support, find jobs, and protect their interests after employment. UNN spoke with Serhii Byzov, Head of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, about how the trade union system is helping defenders return to working life.
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The FPU emphasizes that support for a veteran should not end after medical assistance has been provided or employment has been secured. It is important for a person to be able to return to professional activity, receive a decent salary, have proper working conditions, and be able to count on the protection of their rights.
The trade union’s main task is to help the veteran. After returning from the war, a person may need not only rehabilitation, but also support with employment, adaptation to civilian life, and the resolution of labor-related issues. Therefore, a trade union should be there not only when a problem arises, but also when a person begins a new stage of their life
From rehabilitation to returning to the workforce
One of the areas of support for service members within the trade union system is medical rehabilitation and psychological recovery. According to the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, nearly 50,000 service members and their family members received rehabilitation and psychological recovery services at the sanatorium and resort facilities of PJSC "Ukrprofozdorovnytsia" from 2022 to October 1, 2026. In addition, since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 25,000 people have found shelter at the company’s facilities.
We had one case when a service member approached us after suffering an open traumatic brain injury and requiring further rehabilitation. The trade union helped resolve the issue of injury payments and payment for 21 days of recovery at a sanatorium in Myrhorod. After rehabilitation, the service member returned to his brigade and continued his service
At the same time, the return to civilian life for those leaving the service does not end with health recovery. The next challenge may be finding a job, changing professions, or adapting a former workplace to the person’s new needs.
According to the FPU head, the trade union helps service members who are forced to leave the service due to their health condition find employment through cooperation with the State Employment Center. Another area is cooperation with business representatives who can offer veterans jobs, decent pay, and opportunities for professional development.
For a veteran, it is important not simply to find a vacancy, but to have the opportunity to work in accordance with their skills and state of health. Therefore, support should begin with dialogue: clarifying the person’s needs, determining whether the employer is ready to adapt working conditions, and understanding what opportunities exist for this. Trade unions can help establish such cooperation so that returning to work is not a formality, but a genuine restoration of professional life
Protecting rights after employment
Finding a job is only part of the reintegration process. After employment, questions may arise regarding working conditions, workplace organization, pay, and interaction with management or colleagues. For veterans who have been wounded or have a disability, it may be necessary to create an accessible workspace or adapt their job duties.
Particular attention should be paid to psychological adaptation. After the experiences they have endured, veterans may find it difficult to work in a noisy environment, among large numbers of people, or under constant stress. However, people are not always ready to speak openly about such needs, fearing biased treatment.
As Serhii Byzov emphasized, in such situations, a trade union can represent an employee's interests in dialogue with the employer, help protect labor rights, and seek solutions that take into account the person's needs and the enterprise's capabilities.
Our task is to represent the interests of employees and help find solutions that take into account the needs of veterans and the enterprise's capabilities
Among the approaches to reintegration, Serhii Byzov mentioned individual support for veterans, mentoring by colleagues, flexible working hours, and access to psychological assistance. According to him, it is also important to prepare not only the veteran themselves for their return, but also the team — so that interaction is based on respect and understanding rather than stereotypes.
Why cooperation between trade unions and employers is important
As the European Business Association reported, a noticeable trend has emerged: Ukrainian companies are gradually developing practices for employing and adapting veterans. In particular, businesses are training teams to interact with colleagues who have combat experience, introducing retraining and adaptation programs, and in some cases creating special positions to support veterans.
However, businesses' willingness to employ veterans must be accompanied by systematic support. It is important for an employer to understand how to organize an employee's return, what state assistance opportunities are available, and how to respond to a person's needs without violating their rights.
Trade unions can complement businesses' efforts through the direct representation of employees. They can participate in discussions on the conditions for veterans' return to an enterprise, monitor compliance with labor guarantees, help resolve conflict situations, and contribute to ensuring that support programs work not only formally but also in practice
In his view, it is also important to develop partnerships between trade unions, employers, government institutions, and organizations that provide rehabilitation and retraining services. Such interaction makes it possible to combine various support tools — from restoring health to professional fulfillment.
One of the tools that can be used to formalize the relevant guarantees is a collective agreement. The FPU is working to include provisions concerning veterans in sectoral agreements and has developed a model section for collective agreements at enterprises. This includes, in particular, workplace adaptation, retraining opportunities, psychological support, and assistance with employment after leaving military service.
This approach makes it possible to move from situational assistance to clear rules under which an employee can count on support, while an employer can plan the necessary changes. At the same time, specific mechanisms must take into account the nature of the work, the veteran's state of health, and the enterprise's capabilities.
Veteran reintegration is a shared responsibility
The return of veterans to civilian working life requires consistent efforts at various levels. The state must ensure effective support programs, employers must create proper working conditions, and trade unions must represent employees' interests, help protect their rights, and promote social dialogue.
For the FPU, this area means an opportunity to combine practical assistance to service members and their families with work on the conditions in which veterans return to working life. After all, successful reintegration is not only about employment but also about the opportunity to work with dignity, safely, and without discrimination
Successful veteran reintegration is not only about the opportunity to find a job. It also means fair pay, safe conditions, respect for human rights, and the opportunity for professional development. That is why it is important that support for veterans not be limited to individual programs but gradually become part of labor relations and the everyday practices of enterprises.