Port workers receive social safeguards
13 June 2013 the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Federation of Employers of Ukraine Transport and the Joint representative body of trade unions in the maritime transport signed a new Branch Agreement till 2015, reports the press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure.
According to the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Vilkul, a new Branch Agreement ensures a high level of social standards and effective protection of the interests of labor collectives.
As by the agreement, the port sector workers received guarantees of proper working conditions, higher level of employment and wages, as well as maintenance and development of social facilities and free access to these facilities for workers and their families.
Branch Agreement applies to nearly 130,000 maritime transport workers.
As Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Kozak stated, the 2013 average wage at industry enterprises is 5110 UAH, up 7.4% compared to 2012 and 58% higher than Ukraine’s average wage this year (3233 UAH). The agreement states that employers are required to increase labor costs in relation to increased production and income, while the number of workers receiving a salary exceeding three living wages must grow annually.
The Agreement determines wage rates and schedule of official salaries for executives, professionals, experts, technical staff and workers of enterprises, conditions and amounts of bonuses and more. It also provides for additional guarantees and compensation, social and welfare benefits, which may be included in some collective enterprise agreements.
Maritime transport employees’ remuneration shall be a priority – enterprise’s other payments will be carried out only after it has fulfilled its obligations to the staff.
Branch Agreement also aims to improve working conditions and employment rate.
Without approval from labor collectives no change of ownership, disposal, restructuring, liquidation and transfer of social, cultural, medical and sports facilities owned by the enterprise will be allowed.
