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| VOST Congress 1993. Part of the Congressroom in the Health Centre close to Kiev. |
Already for weeks now
in Kiev and throughout the Ukraine a mostly peaceful civil conflict is raging
about which direction the country should go, to the side of Europe or
to Russia ? This conflict has already started in 1989 with the breakup of
the former Soviet empire . Then there were the first signs of
political division in the Ukraine on the way where to go. The Western
part of Ukraine wants to belong to Europe, also because in the past
it belonged already to it. The Eastern part, where most Russian immigrants live, wants to belong to Russia.
Despite that Russia and
Europe are built on more or less the same values, for centuries
derived from Christianity, both continents are divided because geographically
speaking Russia is too big for Europe and that makes it also
political to big. Ukraine lies on a fault line between the two and
that makes it difficult for the country to reach a compromise to both
sides. Moreover, the old communists now in power don't want to give
up their positions. They are all too happy that they have conquered
power back after the orange revolution which was a first intend to
change course to direction Europe (2004/2005)
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| In front of the Health Centre comrade Lenin was still watching over the VOST Congress |
It would be a lot
easier for Ukraine if Russia should not only focus on power politics
but more on democratic and pluralistic values, but Putin is no
Gorbatsjov and I fear the same for his successors. WCL has been involved
in this part of Ukrainian history since 1992. In April 1993 I was the only
invited international guest on a Congress of the then young ,
inexperienced but idealistic VOST. Oleksandr Dzhulyk was chosen as
president of VOST because of his " national, anti- communist and
therefore anti-establishment and pro Europe” program. He then was
already president of the trade union Volya from Lviv, an important
city in west Ukraine . At that moment VOST decided to affiliate to
the WCL.
I was happy with the
VOST joining the WCL because to my opinion the Ukraine should belong to
Europe in the future. I realized also that it will always be
difficult for Russia to accept a European Ukraine but if Russia would
develop as a real democratic country it should be possible to find a
way out. The membership of VOST was adopted by the WCL without
further debate, although the relations between Andrei Adamčik, head
of the foreign department of Solidarnosc , and VOST President
Oleksandr Dzhulyk always remained somewhat tense. Sometimes I sensed
an aversion while VOST from its side considered Solidarnosc as an
example for its own development. Within the ETUC, integration of
Central and Eastern European countries into Europa was considered
more as a question of power politics than an ideological matter.
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| In red shirt VOST President Oleksandr Dzhulyk, on his left behind his shoulder Marion Oostveen from CNV International Affiars followed by me. On my left Paul Buekenhout from ACV International Affairs. Between Paul and me VOST Vice-President Yuri Kyrilo. |
For example, the
Scandinavian trade unions with Sweden ahead, did everything to get in
control in the Baltics . Hence, the general secretary of LO Sweden
told me during a meeting in Denmark that I had nothing to look for in
Lithuania . President Aldona Balsiene of the Lithuanian LWU told me
later in confidence that her was told not to talk to me anymore. The
Swedish power politics probably worked because the LWU took more and
more distance from the WCL . The German DGB and other socialist
oriented trade union confederations tried to get affiliated to the
ICFTU as soon as possible the former communist organizations, the so
called trade union establishment who still had all the money and the
buildings.
I do not know if these Western trade unions because of opportunism had put aside western
values or because they believed in this way could get a grip on
democratic changes. I remember for example that my ICFTU colleague
Anna Oulatar, in charge of Central and Eastern Europe policy, was
more concerned about the arrival of the McDonalds chain in Moscow as
an expression of unbridled Western capitalism than on how Russia
should come to terms with its (Stalinist) past and how a new society
should be built on the ruins of communism.
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| The WCL delegation in front of the VOST office in Lviv in May 1996. 1.Olga Dhzulyk, translator.2.Olga Nicolaea from the WCL Liaison Office in Bucarest. 3.VOST President Oleksandr Dzhulyk. 4.Ed Grooteboer from CLAC Canada.5.Igor from VOST.6.Bob Fielding, International Affiars Solidarnosc Poland. 7.Andrzej Adamczyk, Head of International Affairs Solidarnosc. 8. VOST Vice-President Yuri Kyrilo. 9.Achille Dutu, Metal Trade Union Cartel Alfa Romania. 10.Wim Boiten, CNV International Affairs. |
What was true for
Russia , was also true for Ukraine . There was a large technical ,
industrial, economic and political backlog. The unions had always
been serfs of the Communist Party. Independent trade unions that
negotiate with employers and government about wages, working
conditions, health and safety, holidays, etc. were unknown. The VOST
wanted to change this from bottom up, based on the same values and
principles as those of trade unions in Western Europe and the rest of
the world.
Two years after the
congress of 1993 , in February 1995, we visited with three WCL
delegates the next congress of VOST . The Congress was held just
outside Kiev in a health center in the middle of the woods . A sober
home for a sober conference . It was in the times that wages of the
average worker were about 10 US$ per month. It was a conference that
showed perseverance if necessary with courage of despair.
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| Traditional welcome to the WCL delegation at the Ceramics Factory. |
Over a year later, in
May 1996 a larger WCL delegation visited again Ukraine. ( See
photograph) . To give you an idea what we experienced during this
mission, I would like to quote an article that one of the
participants, Ed Grooteboer of the Canadian CLAC, published in ' The
Guide ' of July / August 1996.
“As part of a
recent World Confederation of Labour (WCL) mission to the Ukraine to
support the All -Ukranian Union of Workers Solidarity (VOST), a
sister organization, I saw first-hand how deeply the communist legacy
runs in Ukraine's political, economic and social structures.
Politicians, bueraucrats,and industry and trade union leaders are
tenaciously hanging on to positions of power and control.They are
reluctant to give up their privileges and strongly oppose the winds
of change.
In this sense, the
Ukraine is no different than neighbouring Belarus, Russia and other
countries once swallowed up in the USSR. But countries like Poland,
Hungary, Czechoslowakia (now the Czech and Slowak Republics), and
Romania are profiting from a conscious and popular struggle against
communism. These revolutions resulted in well-nigh irreversible
reforms at practically all levels, and created a reservoir of resolve
to work through the economic and social devastation caused by
communism. Although communist sympathizers reamin a force to be
reckoned with, a country like Poland has made great strides in
rebilding its social an economic structures. Countries such as the
Ukraine, however, have not experienced such a revolution. (the so
called orange revolution had yet to come in 2004/2005)
Independence arose
almost as by default out of the crumbled Soviet empire. Consequently,
reforms are relatively superficial and the same foxes, now travelling
under the name of social democrats, are still and by large running
the chicken coop.
People who want to
bring about change in this situation face great difficulties. Given
the general economic collapse – growing unemployment (about 40 per
cent), months without pay for those who work, and staggering
inflation – there is much skepticism in the population about
leaving “the flesh pots of Egypt.”
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| During our visit to a Bus Company where the management prohibited first our entrance, the trade union leader (on the right) and a trade union member (the woman on the left) gave us testimony about the trade union repression in the factory supported by the post-communist trade union. |
… Most enterprises
we visited have a very uncertain future. The facilities and available
equipment are awful to poor, producing inferior goods that
domestically are unaffordable and are not wanted in foreign markets.
In one case, communist sabotaged equipment and buildings when the
workers in exasperation threw out the government-sanctioned union and
ran management out of town by occupying the local ceramics factory.
At an electrical
appliance plant, the few workers who remain often get paid in te
equivalent of the goods they produce, which they then must barter or
sell as best they can (even as far away as in the Czech Republic or
Poland) in order to make ends meet. Gardening and “underground”
economic activity make it possible to cope for most people.
Practically everywhere one goes, work conditions are frightful with
little or no regard for the safety and wellbeing of workers. Where
attempts are made to improve the workplace they are either ignored or
meet with only minimal success.”
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| Ed Grooteboer of CLAC Canada visiting a metal factory close to Lvov. |
The
battle that was then already started about which direction Ukraine
should go, continues to these days. As you can read in the statement
below, VOST is still involved.
At several thousand people’s meeting
on 19 January 2014, Maidan announced the plan of actions which
grounds are the propositions declared in the statement of VOST
“VOLYA” of 04 December 2013
The statement of All-Ukrainian Union of
Workers Solidarity VOST “VOLYA” (VOST) of 19 January 2014
The propositions of VOST “VOLYA”
declared in the statement of 04 December 2013 “Any negotiations and
the total boycott against the bloody occupation illegitimate regime
of dictator Yanukovych” had already made an echo at Maidan who
announced the beginning of the implementing direct people authority
by means of making the National Council, the government of National
confidence, National self-defense, early voting and boycott of the
ruling occupation illegitimate criminal oligarchic dictator regime.
But isn’t it too late? We’ll hope that uncontrolled people
rebellion which arose because of frustration through ineffective
staying at Maidan won’t cause using the ultima ratio of the mad
authority – weapon – against protesters.
The drop which filled up the cup of
people’s patience became cynic ignoring any democratic procedure
during the farce of the so-called “adopting” laws which gave
Yanukovych dictatorship the possibility to use actual implementing of
emergency state elements into everyday life. In this situation people
of labour will lose even those minimum possibilities to defend their
rights they had formally before. As any critic or protest against
high-handedness of employers and authority can threaten with cruel
oppressions, arrest of property, dismissal, stalin “trial” and
imprisonment. The dictatorship put off masking democratic clothes and
showed its real criminal essence at last. This is the time of hard
enlightenment for those who closed his eyes and doesn’t see
illegitimacy of the occupation regime headed by the illegitimate
“president”, who expected for a good king who would have mercy
for people’s asking and begin negotiations, for any honest
presidential elections. It is pity only that the protest has dragged
on for so long time and exhausts everybody who is going through and
struggle for the democratic future of Ukraine.
Eurorevolution has new period when the
only source of authority – Ukrainian people – decided to use the
constitution right.
VOST “VOLYA”
* Calls to have peaceful but decisive
and acting character of people’s protest
* Completely support the decision of
several hundred thousand people meeting at Maidan on 19 January 2014
about the transfer to the direct people authority
* Observing unreasonably slow process
of creating People’s Association “Maidan” to which VOST “VOLYA”
was the first to submitt an application about joining during the
announcing at the meeting on 22 December 2013, we hope so much for
quick implementing of decisions of 19 January 2014 meeting. Possible
negotiations with the ruling regime shouldn’t slow down or stop
making bodies of people authority
* Calls policemen and soldiers of
internal troops remain faithful to the Constitution and their oath
and come over to people
* Appeals to all brotherly trade unions
to express their clear solidarity, give acting certain support for
real trade unions, support the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian workers
in their rightful struggle for democracy and respecting human rights
* Calls the world community, the
European Union, the USA, all democratic countries to boycott the
bloody criminal dictator regime of Yanukovych band and his political
wing – the party of regions and their acolytes pseudocommunists,
not to make negotiations with them, implement personal sanctions for
weightlifters who organized bloody massacres and all persons involved
in this regime who “adopted” dictator laws by non-legal way –
arrest of their personal accounts, accounts of their relatives,
prestanombres and their companies abroad, forbid them to come to
territory of democratic countries etc.
* To admit newly created bodies of
people authority and make negotiations only with them
The people will win!
Reference.
VOST “VOL Y A” (VOST) is an independent democratic trade union
association, whose activity is based on the universal principles of
Christian morality. Trade union organizations formed VOST operating
since 1989, and Trade union “VOLYA” was the first in Ukraine free
inter - branch union. VOST unites more than 150000 members and is a
membership organization of the International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC). Trade Union “VOLYA” is affiliated to the
World Organization of Workers (WOW). VOST and TU “VOLYA” favor of
holding trade union reform in Ukraine and realizing the motto “21
century – new trade unions”. Oleksandr Dzhulyk is the VOST and TU
“VOLYA” president. The VOST and TU “VOLYA” headquarters are
located in Lviv.
Finally, I ask myself
how it would have gone with VOST if the WCL had not existed?
To be continued
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