THE FEDERATION OF THE TRADE UNIONS OF MACEDONIA (SSM)

1. THE FEDERATION OF THE TRADE UNIONS OF MACEDONIA (SSM) Radojka Denkovska Turin, 2009

2. HISTORY OF THE TRADE UNIONISM IN MACEDONIA • A TRADITION THAT SPANS FOR 101 yrs • SSM WAS FIRST FOUNDED IN THE 1950’s • IN 1991 THE FEDERATION WAS TRANSFORMED TO ADAPT ITS ORGANIZATION TO THE PROGRESSIVE WESTERN-STYLE TRADE UNIONISM • SSM IS THE OLDEST AND THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS IN MACEDONIA • OVER 200,000 MEMBERS • 17 BRANCH-TRADE UNIONS • DEMOCRATICALY-ELECTED TRADE UNION GOVERNING BODIES

3. SSM AND THE EU-ACCSESSION WITH SSM’s NEW PRESIDENT ELECTIONS IN 2002, A NEW WAVE OF EUROPEAN TRADE UNION-INTEGRATION WAS STARTED EMPHASIS WAS PUT ON COOPERATION WITH THE OLD AND THE NEW EU-MEMBER COUNTRIES THE YOUTH AND WOMEN’S SECTIONS WERE SELECTED AMONG THE TOP PRIORITIES

4. WHAT SSM HAS TO OFFER YOU? • FREE LEGAL HELP/ADVICE • “STRENGTH IN NUMBERS”-THE TRADE UNION ON AN ENTERPRISE LEVEL IS NOT ALONE–THE BRANCH TRADE UNIONS ARE THERE AS WELL AS SSM (ON A NATIONAL LEVEL) • ACCESS TO THE “SOLIDARITY FUNDS”- FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH LOW (OR O%) INTEREST RATES • A MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE MANAGEMENT/OWNERS AND THE WORKERS

5. WHAT SSM HAS TO OFFER YOU? • ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE CREATION OF THE CHANGES OF THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS IN MACEDONIA • AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF EU ACSESSION IN THE AREAS OF THE SOCIAL DIALOGUE – THE GOVERNMENT MUST RESPECT THE OPINION OF THE TRADE UNIONS THAT ARE PART OF ETUC (SSM IS AN OBSERVER-MEMBER OF ETUC) • PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH IN CREATING NEW LAWS (SSM HAS DRAFTED A PROPOSAL ON A “LAW ON WORK HARASSMENT-MOBBING”

6. What else can trade unions do for YOUTH? • Reach out to young people and organise them taking into account different factors such as, economic competition, technological change, new form of business organization and employment relationships; • To make them stronger and more open tothe society; • To appreciate young people’s opinion and respect the youth because of their flexibility, education, tolerance and potential; • To involve youth in trade union decision-making process;

7. Co-operate with schools and youth NGOs on awareness-raising about labour rights • Promote togetherness and solidarity as preconditions for a stronger union response to the challenges of economic and social changes. • Propose innovative changes in trade union work

8. SSM AND ITS YOUTH SECTION • CURRENTLY SSM’S YOUTH SECTION IS ENGAGED IN A PROJECT (WITH THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE “BALKAN CHILDREN & YOUTH FOUNDATION”) FROM THE “PROGRESS” PROGRAM ON THE TOPICS OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT • A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SSM’S YOUTH SECTION IS PARTICIPATING IN EU’S WORKSHOP ON “CREATING STRATEGIES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT” IN BRUXELLS

9. THE FUTURE OF SSM’S YOUTH SECTION • TO GAIN THE STATUS OF A VOTING MEMBER WITHIN SSM’S COUNCIL • TO BECOME INVOLVED WITHIN THE CREATION OF MACEDONIA’S STRATEGIES FOR REDUCTION OF THE YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT • TO IMPROVE ON THE VISIBILITY OF ITS MEMBERS (THROUGH SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS) • TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TRADE UNION MEMBERS AMONG THE YOUNG WORKERS • AND TO BECOME LEADERS IN TRADE UNIONS MOVEMENTS

10. JOIN TO THE UNION AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT ELSE CAN OFFER TO YOU 

11. Thank you !