Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Making an Impact in Ukraine

Earlier this year, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the CLAC Foundation made a $25,000 donation to VOST “VOLYA,” the All-Ukrainian Union of Workers’ Solidarity, a free, independent, self-governing, and nonpartisan trade union that serves workers in Ukraine. The union has continued its important efforts throughout the ongoing conflict, helping citizens in its country find meaningful work to pay for the necessities of life.

“The war had a critical impact on the socioeconomic situation in Ukraine and on its workers and their family members,” a representative from VOST “VOLYA” told the Guide. The numbers available as of May 2022 showed that the losses to the country’s economy reached $600 billion USD. In addition, during this time, nearly five million Ukrainians lost their jobs due to the war, and the prices of goods and services increased by 30 to 50 percent.

The importance of VOST “VOLYA” in the country cannot be denied, says the union. The founding of the organization more than 30 years ago offered workers “the creation of free democratic trade unions from the inside and from the bottom.” It provided a unique opportunity for employees to unite: their employers could not be members, as was the case in other unions.

For more on the CLAC Foundation’s work, visit clacfoundation.ca.

VOST “VOLYA” at a Glance

The organization was founded officially in Lviv on November 16, 1989.
It became the All-Ukrainian Union of Workers’ Solidarity “VOLYA” (VOST “VOLYA”) in March 2019.
Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the union had around 20,000 members, about half of whom paid monthly membership fees.
The members of the union work mainly in four sectors: industrial, public sector, medical, and according to union representatives, the “informal sector of the economy,” which includes those who are self-employed, migrant workers, and retirees, among others.

Making an Impact in Ukraine

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