IFPTE Statement Supporting Ukraine Workers’ Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC – The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), a labor union representing upwards of 90,00 workers across Ca, issued the following statement regarding drastic changes to Ukrainian labor laws that undermine worker and union rights and curtail collective bargaining:
We stand in solidarity with AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond and the rest of the labor movement in calling on the Ukrainian government not to weaken laws that protect its workers' right to join a union. This move is not only unnecessary, but it will also undermine President Zelensky's efforts to keep his people united against the unprovoked and murderous attack by the Russian Federation.
IFPTE and its predecessor locals hold a unique position within the American labor movement, given our union's more than 100-year history of working in the defense and aerospace sectors. Our members have ensured that, through two World Wars and numerous other military conflicts, our nation's forces have had the equipment and technology they needed to effectively engage the enemy. While the women and men in our military served abroad, the members of IFPTE have proudly done their part on the home front, including the thousands of Veterans that IFPTE is honored to represent.
One of the key elements of this service has been labor-management collaboration. By working together, IFPTE and its employers throughout the defense sector have been able to enhance the quality, reliability and efficiency of the design and manufacturing process. Time and again, we have proven that the active engagement of worker representatives, through the presence of labor unions, is an asset that advances a nation's defense capabilities.
Current efforts in Ukraine to weaken workers’ rights seem to overlook this critical unifying role that unions play during a time of crisis. President Zelensky, through his example and leadership, has effectively unified and inspired his people against what seemed like overwhelming odds. Creating unnecessary division at this moment by attacking the rights of a broad swath of the workforce who daily support the wartime effort will only serve to set that progress back. The Ukrainian government should focus all of its attention on the real enemy: the Russian Army.
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