The biggest action on Mayday in Ukraine this year – 500 local workers, trade union members and young left activists from march in Kryviy Rih, centre of iron ore mining and steel making.

The workers and activists demanded a wage increase of up to € 1,000 for workers and and decent working conditions. They noted that the owners of iron ore enterprises put a significant part of the profits offshore. So, both the workers and the Ukrainian budget lose billions annually. Previously, Social Movement has recorded that over the last 4 months prices for iron ore increased by 50% . However, it still has no effect on wages.

On May Day, the participants of the rally chanted: “Do not work for pennies, but join the trade union”.

During the speeches activists stressed the absence of any political representation of the working class, which poses a risk of cutting workers rights , the use of offshoring of profits and the plunder of the nation’s property.



Vitali Dudin and Zakhar Popovych of Social Movement appear on local tv in this report to talk (in Ukrainian) about developments in the labour movement, including several recent industrial actions that won higher wages.

At the same time, a Women’s May Day  and an action of trade unions took place in Kyiv , where, in particular, teachers demanded a pay increase and budgets fro schools.:

Whilst in Lviv during May Day a banner was put up saying “Lviv: Paradise for tourists, hell for workers”. b against exploitation of service workers