Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Article 1 of the Convention. Forty-hour week. The Committee notes the observations made by the National Forum of Trade Unions of Ukraine (NFTUU) and the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU) concerning a new draft Labour Code which is expected to be examined shortly by the Parliament of Ukraine. The two workers’ organizations allege that draft section 143 of the Code allows the settings of unlimited daily and weekly working hours. They also point out that the maximum duration of weekly work may exceed the 48-hour limit not only on the basis of an enterprise-level collective agreement but also by means of an employer’s regulatory act. Under the new provisions, therefore, the employers would have every interest not to have trade unions at the enterprise, so that they can decide unilaterally on matters such as working hours and wages through regulatory acts. The Committee requests the Government to provide any comments it may wish to make in response to the observations of the NFTUU and the KVPU and recalls that the Government may avail itself of the advisory services of the Office concerning the drafting of new legislation having due regard to relevant international labour standards.