On March 24, 2026, the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) organized a festive event at the Palace of the Republic dedicated to Grassroots Trade Union Organization Day – a celebration established by the CNSM Confederal Committee in 2023 and marked annually on March 28.

The event brought together leaders of national sectoral trade union centers, representatives of territorial structures and grassroots trade union organizations from across the country, as well as public authorities.

In his address, Igor Zubcu, President of CNSM, emphasized that grassroots trade union organizations represent the living voice of workers and the foundation of the entire trade union movement. He highlighted that, despite challenges generated by wars, globalization, and digitalization, trade unions continue to play a crucial role in promoting workers’ rights, ensuring decent work, and strengthening social democracy.

“Thank you to all grassroots trade union organizations for their essential contribution to promoting and defending the rights and interests of employees – trade union members. Solidarity and unity are the pillars of the trade union movement and the foundation of its strength. Only united and in solidarity we will succeed in addressing present challenges, strengthening the trade union movement in the Republic of Moldova, and building a more equitable future,” stated the CNSM President.

A message of greeting was also delivered by Corina Ajder, Adviser on Labour and Social Protection in the Prime Minister’s Office, who emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between authorities and social partners, noting that effective social dialogue is essential for promoting employees’ rights and developing fair labour market policies.

A central moment of the event was the Awards Gala, during which CNSM recognized the achievements of its representatives in six categories: Promoter of Trade Union Communities, Promoter of Trade Union Stability, Promoter of Sustainable Results, Promoter of Equity and Inclusion, Promoter of Social Dialogue, and Promoter of Best Practices. In total, 30 representatives from districts across the Republic of Moldova were awarded.

At the same time, the event marked the official launch of the national campaign to map unionization potential, “Together – Shield and Voice!”, which will run until March 2027. The campaign is initiated in the context where CNSM currently brings together 24 national branch trade union centres, over 5,200 grassroots trade union organizations, and approximately 270,000 members.

The general objective of the campaign is to analyze the current situation and set priorities for increasing trade union density, particularly in the private sector, where unionization rates remain lower. In this regard, around 60 concrete actions are planned, including identifying unionization opportunities at territorial level, organizing training seminars for trade union leaders, supporting the establishment of new grassroots organizations, and improving the regulatory framework. CNSM relies on the active involvement of national sectoral trade union centers and territorial representatives in this process.

During the event, participants had the opportunity to visit an exhibition of local producers and enterprises where grassroots trade union organizations are active—key partners of the trade union movement—featuring locally supported products and initiatives.

The event reaffirmed that the strength of trade unions lies in people, and that through solidarity and collective action, every voice contributes to building a safer, fairer, and more dignified future for all workers in the Republic of Moldova.