Authors

Discussion

In the context of large-scale Russian aggression, Ukraine has been faced with the difficult task of balancing forced limitations on human rights and maintaining social dialogue as a tool for stabilising the social and labour spheres, on the one hand, with the need to keep the economy afloat and protect public safety, on the other. Three main factors underlie this difficulty. Firstly, there are unresolved issues in the social dialogue and collective bargaining system that caused its inefficiency even before the war; secondly, the devastating impact of the war on the economy and the labour market; and thirdly, the demands of accelerated European integration processes. The interaction of these factors has created complex challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the sustainability of the Ukrainian labour sector in wartime and post-war reconstruction.

Seeking solutions, I argue that under martial law, when many labour rights are legally restricted, social dialogue between government, employers and trade unions representing workers in war-critical industries is crucial to agree on the objectives, conditions and limits of such restrictions. In post-war reconstruction, the role of the social partners in socio-economic policy-making through social dialogue is equally important, as it can prevent collective labour disputes and delays in policy implementation that can arise from social instability. Second, the restoration of all labour rights and their effective enforcement should be an integral part of Ukraine's post-war future, given the need to meet EU and international labour standards and thereby create decent conditions for the return of millions of Ukrainian refugees.