The President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko has met with Oleksandr Yurkin, President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, Co-Chairman of National Tripartite Social and Economic Council. They discussed urgent issues of social and economic situation of workers and the population in conditions of increasing prices and tariffs, and state social guarantees in the State Budget 2007.

The FPU President informed the President of Ukraine about the decision of the FPU Presidium of December 13, that confirms the position of trade unions concerning violation of constitutional rights and guarantees of citizens by the law on the State Budget for the next year. It goes about establishment of size of minimum wage that does not provide sufficient standard of life, understating of parameters of living wage, limitation of right of the workers of rural budgetary sphere to receive state guarantees like free use of habitation with heating and light, to halt of action of the Article 44 of the Law on Trade Unions in relation with the commitment of budgetary institutions to send 0.3% of fund of payment of labour for the health measures of workers and their children, etc.

The FPU President also informed about the results of the FPU Council meeting which was held on 14-18 December. The main theme was to determine tasks of the development of the social dialogue. The Council adopted a statement on infringement of citizens’ constitutional rights and guarantees in the State Budget approved by the Parliament. O.Yurkin underscored that in the statement it was clearly stated that FPU agree with and support President’s position on the issues related to minimum wage, living standard and other social norms.

In particular, the statement says: “The Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine defending the rights and interests of over 10.5 million trade union members strongly demands from the Parliament of Ukraine to urgently review the Law of Ukraine on the State Budget of Ukraine 2007 and take into account President’s proposals as to the increase in the living standard, minimum wage and pension, and exclude the norms infringing or restricting the trade union and citizens’ rights”.

Trade union leader emphasized that ineffectiveness of social dialog between authorities and trade unions was the main reason of the social tensions this summer, when Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine in order to protect the legally recognized rights and interests of workers, was forced to enter in the collective labour dispute with the Government, organize mass protest actions and bring to court suits against the decisions of the Government, other bodies of executive power.

President of Ukraine stressed the actuality of the questions discussed during the meeting and urgency of their solution within the framework of development of social dialogue in Ukraine and suggested to convene as soon as possible the meeting of tripartite Socio-Economic Council, which has to consider the efficiency of its work, improvement of mechanism of conciliation of interests of social parties in the process of state decision making as to the realization of socio-economic policy.