Members of the Confederal Board of National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) met on 8 February with representatives of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) office in Budapest (Hungary) to discuss progress made in social dialogue, the work and priorities of the CNSM for the next period, collaboration on various directions in 2024, etc.

The trade unionists met with Claire Harasty, Director of the ILO Office in Budapest, Magnus Berge, ILO Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities, Maria José Chamorro, Gender and Formal Economy Specialist, and Lejo Sibbel, Social Dialogue and Labour Law Specialist.

During the discussions, Igor Zubcu, President of the CNSM, thanked the management of the ILO Office in Budapest for their support in recent years in the implementation of several important projects on social and economic protection of workers, promotion of decent work, ratification of ILO Conventions and development of social partnership in the Republic of Moldova. The trade union leader stressed the importance of strengthening the capacities of social partners in the context of the EU accession process.

Trade unionists from the Republic of Moldova stressed the need not to allow excessive flexibilisation and liberalisation of labour legislation to the detriment of the rights, guarantees and legal interests of employees, and to ensure that the provisions of international normative acts to which the Republic of Moldova is party are respected in the process of drafting and improving labour legislation.

The parties referred to the ratification by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova of the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 190 concerning the elimination of violence and harassment at work and ILO Convention No. 161 concerning occupational health services, and the joint efforts of the social partners in this regard.

The trade unionists also discussed the state of play regarding the reform of the State Labour Inspectorate, the challenges in the field of occupational safety and health at national level, with safe and healthy work being a fundamental right of employees at work.

For the next period, the parties agreed to develop cooperation on the implementation of the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 190, the strengthening of social dialogue at national level, as well as the development of social dialogue at branch level.