25 June, 2013CIS unions discuss health and safety in Moldova
An international workshop on health and safety was organized by IndustriALL Global Union on 18-19 June in Kishinev, Moldova. Some 30 union leaders and activists took part in the workshop.
On 18-19 June IndustriALL Global Union held an international workshop on workplace health and safety at the Labour Institute of the Confederation of Unions of Moldova in Kishinev. Some 30 unionists took part in the event, mostly members of central committees and regional committees, as well as activists from union locals at the plant level. The workshop was conducted by Vadim Borisov from the IndustriALL regional office in Moscow. Brian Kohler, health and safety director from the Geneva office took part in the workshop as a guest expert.
The workshop was opened by the hosts, Moldavian unions who reported on their developments in the field of health and safety, in particular about the results of the survey on the impact of computers on workers’ health. The latter subject was presented by Ion Pyirgaru, president of the Federation of Trade Unions of Communications Workers of Moldova, and Victor Mirgorodsky from the health and safety department of the same union. Among the participants of the workshop was Oleg Budza from the Confederation of Unions of Moldova who emphasized the fact that health and safety have always been a priority issue in union work.
Alexander Sitnov, president of the Russian Chemical Workers Union, gave a detailed overview of health and safety practices in his industry. Alexander Kulagin told about the health and safety training programmes of his Mining and Metallurgical Workers Union of Russia (MMWU). Alexander Sozoev, MMWU labour inspector in Belgorod area, Russia, showed how the health and safety system works using the example of Oskolsky electrometallurgical plant.
Alexander Pogrebniak, chief labour inspector from the Coal Mining Workers’ Union of Ukraine told about heal and safety in the coal industry. Vladimir Belik, chief labour inspector of the Metallurgical and Mining Industry Workers’ Union of Ukraine (MMIWU) made a presentation and showed a video about the health and safety at Ukrainian plants.
The participants discussed particular cases of health and safety issues during the production process. They noted that employers often try to avoid responsibility and consider an injury as “domestic”, not occupational. The participants also discussed the role of technical inspections in defending workers’ interests.
The participants also adopted a Declaration, urging to raise the standards of health and safety in production industries.