Moldova: Activities held by CNSM on the global day of action in defense of the right to strike

CNSM as a member with full rights of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), would like to inform you that it joins, aligns, fully supports and takes the responsibility to undertake actions on the occasion of the global day of action in defence of the right to strike on the date of 18th of February 2015.

Therefore, CNSM shapes the following actions:

On the 18th of February 2015, will be organized a meeting, larger than usually, under the slogan: „Hands off out right to strike!”.

Before organizing this meeting, the ITUC circular has been multiplied and sent to all the national sectorial trade union centres, to the Women Council and Youth Council of CNSM in order to make them aware with the decision of the ITUC General Council dating back to December 2014. This served as a catalyzator and discussion topic for the meeting held on the 18th of February 2015. There were invited trade union members fron all the national sectorial trade union centres of CNSM and media representatives in order to sensibilize the public opinion about the tactics, employers all over the world use, to diminish the right to strike. It is well-known that employers tried to obstruct the International Labour Organization (ILO) procedures, creating a stall during the sessions of the International Labour Conference. This way, they are trying to hinder the ratio of forces at the workplace and society. In the speeches, they tried to explain all that te right to strike is a fundamental juridical, foreseen for a long time already in a lot of international documents. Trade unionists expressed firmly their position that the right to strike can be violated only in the epoch of dictatorship and no one has the right to break up their freedom and will to express themselves freely in order to protect their trade union rights.

Concerning the situation in the Republic of Moldova on the implementation of the right to strike, CNSM says:

The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova stipulates that the right to strike is being recognised.

The Constituton foresees that the „Law establishes the conditions of practising the right to strike, as well as the responsibility for starting a illegitimate strike”. By now, Republic of Moldova does not have a special law to set the mecanisms of implementation of the constitutional right (the right to strike) of the employees.

The Labour Code of the Republic of Moldova somehow regulates the realization of the right to strike, onlu on the unit level. Las years, there were no registered cases of violation of the right to strike.

According to the Labour Code of the Republic of Moldova, at the sectorial , territorial and national levels, starting and holding a strike can be done pursuant to the Collective bargaining agreement at the respective level.

But, in 2003, after the Labour Code of the Republic of Moldova has been adopted, social partners did not manage to elaborate a collective agreement to foresee the procedure of organizing and making a strike (sectorial, territorial and national levels), being a cause why claiming and making strikes at these levels became impossible.

The Labour Code limited employees’ participation from some units with a continuous activity flux.

We state the fact that by now, the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova did not undertake any actions to diminish the right to strike which is recognised bt the Constitution.

Therefore, CNSM submitted concrete proposals (as a draft law on solving the collective work conflicts) having as an objective improvement of the national legislation in this domain, including concering the right to strike.

These proposals made by trade unions are the topic of discussion in the tripartite work group (formed by social partner representatives: Government, employers and trade unions), who are going to address solutions to the National commission for collective bargaining and consultation in order to improve the natonal legal framework in this domain, including on the right to strike.

Actions undertaken on the 18th of February 2015, the global day of action in defence of the right to strike, were reflected in press, radio and television. In a much more detailed way, has been prepared an information for the national newspaper „Vocea Poporului”.

CNSM reiterates its solidarity message to all the national trade union centres, affiliated to ITUC in order to support the right to strike.

Article from national newspaper (Romanian)
Article from national newspaper (Russian)