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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-6373 ext. 4
U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman signed a memorandum of
understanding today with Ukraine, making it eligible to participate in the
Labor Department's technical assistance initiatives. The agreement partners the
department with the Ukrainian Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
"We have mutually shared interests in working together to build greater
employment opportunities and social safety nets in Ukraine," Secretary Herman
said. "We are ready to support the efforts that are underway there to address
these priorities."
Herman signed the memorandum with her Ukrainian counterpart, Minister of
Labor and Social Policy Ivan Sakhan.
Under the cooperative plan, the Labor Department will implement five
projects in mine safety and health, dislocated worker services, child labor,
industrial relations and gender equity. The Labor Department will budget $3.75
million for the program in fiscal year 2000, the first year of the two-year
program.
The administration designated Ukraine a foreign policy priority in
recognition of the critical social and economic concerns facing that country in
its transition to democracy and an open market economy. Last April the Labor
Department conducted a project design mission to Ukraine and at that time
secured the Ministry of Labor's commitment to serve as a key partner in the
project implementation activities.
The mine safety and health project component is in direct response to
the Barakova mine accident this past March in which 81 miners were killed. This
assistance will focus on inspector training, coal dust suppression and
explosion prevention techniques.
Ukraine's move to restructure its economy has involved privatization and
closure of bankrupt firms, for example, which have produced layoffs and other
worker dislocations. The department's project will be modeled on its successful
displaced worker assistance programs in Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and
Macedonia.
In the child labor area, the Labor Department will work to help Ukraine
develop a national policy, including a plan of action to combat child labor.
The project will include specific measures to harmonize the country's laws with
international standards and to improve its institutional capacity to
investigate and monitor the problem. Lastly, it will involve undertaking a
pilot program to replace exploitative work with educational opportunities. This
work will be implemented through the International Labor Organization with
funding from the Labor Department.
In addition, the International Labor Organization, again with funding
from the department, will institute a program for Ukraine on fostering
effective industrial relations activities to prevent and resolve labor disputes
and promote collective bargaining.
Finally, the department will fund an International Labor Organization
project on gender equity which will be aimed at strengthening enforcement of
nondiscrimination provisions of the country's labor laws, promoting equality in
the workplace and helping to improve Ukraine's laws and regulations overall on
equality in employment.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Labor and Social Policy will provide staff
support and will share information as necessary for the implementation and
evaluation of the program.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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