During this event, the People's Deputies, Union Delegates, Employers' Association Members, active Members of the Community, Scientists and Representatives of the Ministries, discussed the current state of and prospects for the economic advance of Ukraine, Ukraine's labour force potential and ways for its further development, and a Draft Concept for the development and maintenance of the labour potential in Ukraine.
Ivan Bondarchuk, Chairman of the Social Policy and Labour Committee, who spoke on the legislative implications for Ukraine's labour potential development and maintenance, stressed the 'narrowed' scope of the Labour Law due to the employment of civil instruments in regulating employer-worker relations, particularly in small business. This resulted from set-backs in using market principles to resolve Labour Law issues. The labour relations are getting increasingly informal due to shadow economic activities.
I. Bondarchuk advised the Delegates on the Draft of the new Labour Code of Ukraine, currently under preparation by his Committee, which will include a definition of major principles and tools for the realisation of labour rights and guarantees for workers as provided by the Constitution of Ukraine, and also provide for appropriate workplace conditions and protection of workers' and employers' interests within the market economy framework. This Bill, as he noted, features an integrated approach towards resolving labour issues, suggests the codification and unification of legislative acts concerning labour, and the incorporation of their rules into the Draft Code.
The Draft Code provisions, said I. Bondarchuk, are also aimed at adapting Ukraine's Labour Law to the revised European Social Charter and other International Legislative Acts: Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Conventions and Recommendations from the International Labour Organisation.
According to those Delegates of the 2nd All-Ukrainian Forum taking the floor, renewal of the labour potential in Ukraine and its involvement in the economy over recent years has been impacted by the socio-political crisis in the economy, aggravated by contradictions in society.
The Speakers noted in particular the implications of the demographic aspects for the formation and maintenance of the labour potential. These aspects first became apparent in the 1960s and their indications have since been increasing
The mentioned socio-economic trends, and others, strongly influence the labour potential in terms of quality and size, work productivity, skills, the educational and cultural level of the population, cost of the labour force and the income of individuals.
The Speakers stressed the socio-economic factors testifying to the ever increasing problems of official and covert unemployment, increasingly widely practiced illegal labour activities, International migration, decreasing intellectual and educational potential, and the large stratification of population in terms of income.
Health and Safety problems remain unresolved, as seen by Forum members, together with the provision of hygienic conditions in workplaces, prevention of occupational diseases within businesses, institutions, and SMEs currently in the region of over two million workers.