The confederation believes that the proposed reduction in bureaucracy and expansion of employers’ rights could lead to the loss of certain employee rights and protections, including those related to occupational safety and health.
Loss of Certain Workers’ Rights and Protections
As a reminder, the package includes proposals, for example, to remove from the law the obligation to inform workers about upcoming changes at the enterprise or to eliminate compensation payments for workers injured on the job.
The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova emphasizes the need to adhere to the principles of social dialogue, which requires consultation with social partners during the process of drafting amendments to labor legislation.
The organization made this statement following discussions within the tripartite National Commission on Consultations and Collective Bargaining, which brings together the government, employers’ associations, and labor unions.
As noted in the NCTUM’s statement, any legislative initiative concerning labor relations, the rights and guarantees of workers (such as revising the national minimum wage or developing proposals to amend the regulatory framework) must be developed in accordance with the mechanisms of tripartite social dialogue and in coordination with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.
Furthermore, the involvement of social partners should begin as early as the drafting stage of regulatory acts, rather than only at the stage of their final approval.
Representatives of the Confederation noted that any reform must comply with Moldova’s international obligations and the standards of the International Labour Organization.
