The support provided by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in strengthening the capacities of social partners in the Republic of Moldova, through the implementation of several important projects related to decent work, youth employment promotion, training activities, and the promotion of ILO Conventions, was the subject of a meeting between the CNSM leadership and a delegation from ILO/RBSA, currently visiting our country this week.

The meeting, organized on Tuesday, October 15, at the Trade Union House, also included representatives from the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova (CNPM).

Sergiu Sainciuc, vice president of the CNSM, thanked the ILO/RBSA delegation for the support provided over time in implementing various activities carried out by the CNSM, including: contributing to the creation of local employment partnerships, developing support materials for territorial commissions for consultations and collective negotiations, creating the mobile application “Workers’ Rights,” training representatives of trade unions from six districts, and strengthening the capacities of union leaders and activists regarding the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace, among others.

The vice president emphasized the importance of the ILO’s support in promoting the decent work agenda, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and promoting common initiatives and objectives of trade unions and employers regarding the need to increase the minimum wage, covering 80 percent of employees with collective bargaining according to EU standards, ratifying, and implementing ILO Conventions.

On the other hand, Claire Harasti, director of the ILO office in Budapest, welcomed the progress made by social partners in achieving several important objectives in social dialogue, decent work, and promoting ILO values and standards, expressing openness to further develop cooperation in the context of implementing the future Country Program on Decent Work and Moldova’s integration efforts into the EU.

During the dialogue, representatives of the CNSM and CNPM referred to their ongoing activities as well as challenges related to the labour market situation in the Republic of Moldova, labour migration, the need for gradual increases in the minimum wage, preparing young specialists according to labour market demands, attracting NEET youth to the labour market, and the importance of developing social partnerships at the territorial and branch levels.

In this context, we note that the RBSA (Regular Budget Supplementary Account) is a fund to which a number of donors contribute voluntarily to promote the ILO’s decent work agenda. The countries contributing to the RBSA include the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Luxembourg, Sweden, Germany, France, and Italy.