On 7 February, a delegation from the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM), led by Igor Zubcu, President of the CNSM, visited Padova, Italy, where they met with representatives of the General Italian Confederation of Labour (CGIL). The main aim of the meeting was to strengthen trade union cooperation between the two organizations and to exchange experiences in the field of the protection of workers’ rights.

The meeting was attended by Aldo Marturano Sferra, General Secretary of CGIL Padova, Marianna Cestaro, Confederal Secretary, Manuela De Paolis, Secretary, Marco Galtarorossa, responsible for industrial, labour and safety policies, Alioune Diop Badara, responsible for immigration, environment and youth policies, and Mabel Grossi, responsible for European policies and international relations.

Discussions covered issues such as promoting the rights of migrant workers, improving working conditions, combating undeclared work, strategies for recruiting trade union members and developing organizational capacity through the use of new technologies.

An important aspect of the meeting was to analyze the experience of Italian trade unions in implementing EU Directive 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages and to define common strategies for achieving a fair minimum wage. They also discussed the role of trade unions in promoting workers’ rights in the context of Moldova’s European integration aspirations.

This cooperation is particularly important given the significant number of Moldovan citizens working in Italy. The joint efforts of CNSM and CGIL are aimed at strengthening the protection of their rights.

Both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to continue their cooperation and to develop joint projects aimed at improving the situation of migrant workers and strengthening trade union relations between Moldova and Italy.

The General Italian Confederation of Labour (CGIL) is the oldest and most representative trade union organization in Italy, with more than 5 million members, of whom 11622 are Moldovan.

In 2021, the CNSM and the CGIL signed a cooperation agreement to increase the protection of Moldovan workers in Italy and Italian workers working in Moldova, providing them with a regulated labour framework.