The Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) has recorded 43 unique cases in 32 companies where the management did not comply with the Law on Trade Unions, Their Rights and Guarantees of Activity. Violations range from failure to transfer special funds that the companies are obliged to allocate to trade unions, to withdrawal of check-off facilities, to interference with unions’ internal matters and obstruction of the work of their representatives, to serious cases of trade union discrimination.
Members of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU) have also suffered from anti-union harassment, and their employers often ignored the right to organise and bargain collectively. KVPU reports that turning to the courts or law enforcement bodies for protection is hardly ever effective, and sometimes the local authorities side with the employers against trade unions. However, there were also reports on unfairly dismissed trade unionists being reinstated, and KVPU has won over 20 different court cases over the last four years just against one company. Unfortunately court decisions are poorly enforced.