The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova (CNSM), in collaboration with partners from Austria, organizes on 4-5 June 2024, in Chisinau, the seminar “Involvement of trade unions in social protection systems at local, regional and national level”, with the participation of the leadership of the CNSM, representatives of national and regional trade union centers, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the National Agency for Employment, the National Social Insurance House, the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The aim of the activity is to transfer expertise from Austria and the European institutions to the Republic of Moldova on the functioning of social protection systems, the necessary reforms in this system, and on the sustainable improvement of working conditions of social workers in our country.

In his welcome address to the participants of the seminar, Igor Zubcu, President of the CNSM, thanked the Austrian partners – the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB), SOLIDAR Austria organization and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection for their support over the years, which contributed to the strengthening of the trade union movement, exchange of experience and best practices, including in the field of policies in the sphere of social-economic protection of employees, trade union members.

“We want to have an effective social protection system that meets the needs of those who need help from social assistance and social insurance institutions, but we also emphasize the need to ensure better protection, better working conditions, adequate wages for workers in these systems,” the CNSM president stressed.

“In 2019, the slogan used on the occasion of the World Day for Decent Work, which is marked annually on October 7, was – INVEST IN CARE SERVICES! It was estimated then that investing 2% of GDP in care services can give an increase of 2.4% and 6.1% to GDP. Trade unions called for increased investment in care services as they are crucial either for maintaining health and dignity for an ageing population or for a better start in life for children in youth-dominated countries,” the trade union leader said.

The CNSM President also referred to the reform of the social assistance system, the request of the trade unions to moderate Law no. 270/2018 on the unitary system of salaries in the budgetary sector, which resulted in an increase in salaries for social workers, including the continuation of the dialogue with the Ministry of Finance to increase the level of salaries for social assistance and social insurance workers.

“It is important to mention that our country is currently in the process of analyzing and transposing European directives, including what concerns social protection. Knowing in advance the mechanisms working in the European Union and taking over the practices in the field of social protection that exist in the EU will help us to implement the European legal framework more easily”, the trade union leader emphasized.

Present at the seminar, Martin Mühlbacher, attaché of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Welfare and Consumer Protection, spoke about the importance of developing and strengthening social partnership in the Republic of Moldova, strengthening social dialogue mechanisms in order to develop social and economic protection systems for the population, in line with European standards, and the involvement of trade unions in the social protection system is extremely important.

During the seminar, Neonila Cioinac, Senior Consultant, Social Services Policy Directorate, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, presented the types of social assistance services and benefits, the tasks of territorial social assistance agencies and the priorities for reform in the field of social assistance.

Julia Stroj, Health Policy Officer of the Federation of Austrian Trade Unions (OGB), gave a comprehensive presentation on the Austrian welfare system, including the “Welfare State” as a central element of any democracy, the social security policies implemented in her country, the importance of social justice, how the welfare system is financed in Austria and how it functions.

Natalia Cheruneț, Deputy Director of the National Agency for Employment, talked about the measures to stimulate employment among people receiving social assistance. In her turn, Violeta Vrabie, ILO project coordinator, communicated about the experience of Local Employment Partnerships (LEP), implemented in several districts of the Republic of Moldova, the main purpose of LEPs being job creation and transition to formal employment.

Liuba Rotaru, an expert from the National Social Insurance House, presented a comprehensive report on the activity and talked about the functioning and the way of constitution of the public state social insurance system in the Republic of Moldova.

During the seminar, the participants discussed topics related to the pecularities and shortcomings of the public state social insurance system, the role and involvement of trade unions in social protection systems at various levels, the involvement of Austrian trade unions in the social protection system.

The seminar is organized by the CNSM with the support of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB), SOLIDAR Austria and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection.