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  5. Finding a balance between the rights of trade unions and employers in the draft Labour Code

Almanac of law. Issue 17 (2026), pages 168–175.

DOI: 10.33663/2524-017X-2026-17-168-175

Simutina Ya. V.
Finding a balance between the rights of trade unions and employers in the draft Labour Code

The article examines the rights of trade unions to consent to the dismissal of employees and to demand the dismissal of the head of an enterprise, as set out in current labour legislation. These rights are analyzed in relation to employers’ rights, particularly the right to manage, to determine at what point the former begin to interfere with or restrict the latter. The outlined issues are evaluated through the lens of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Council of Europe standards, particularly the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) case law. Additionally, the issues are considered from the perspectives of Ukraine’s European integration, labour and corporate regulation, and the need to ensure a balance of legal rights for all parties to collective labour relations.

Based on this analysis, the author concludes that replacing trade unions’ veto rights in dismissals of employees who are their members with the employer’s obligation to comply with information and consultation procedures in the draft Labour Code of Ukraine does not violate the international standards or the essence of the constitutional right to protection against unlawful dismissal. Conversely, it is emphasized that the draft Labour Code does not abolish trade unions’ participation and public control, which are the primary representatives of employees’ rights and interests in cases of termination of an employment contract at the employer’s initiative, but rather modifies them. Specifically, employers must inform the trade union of their intention to dismiss a union member and, at the union’s request, hold appropriate consultations with the union. The draft also retains the prior consent of the trade union in cases of termination of an employment contract at the employer’s initiative for members of the elected body of the primary trade union organization and trade union representatives. In addition, and in accordance with ILO standards, similar guarantees are granted to employee representatives who are freely elected by the general meeting (conference) of the labour collective, unlike the current legislation.

The refusal of the draft Labour Code developer to provide for the right of trade unions to demand the termination of an employment contract with the head of an enterprise, as set out in current labour legislation, is justified by the need to comply with the principle of legal certainty, ensure proportionality of intervention in enterprise management and align labour legislation with EU legal frameworks. In EU member states, managers are held accountable through corporate procedures rather than direct intervention by trade unions in business owners’ personnel decisions. At the same time, it should be noted that legislative revision of the excessive rights and powers of trade unions in Ukraine should be accompanied by the preservation of the necessary minimum guarantees for employee representatives, as well as by the development of additional instruments to protect employees’ collective rights. These include the right to collective bargaining, information and consultation procedures, effective state control over compliance with labour legislation, and judicial protection and prosecution of those responsible for violations.

Keywords: workers’ representatives, employer, dismissal, employment contract, information and consultation, guarantees, worker protection, union consent to dismissal, union demand for dismissal of manager, ILO standards, ECHR case law, European integration.

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Дата першого надходження рукопису до видання: 19.02.2026
Дата прийнятого до друку рукопису після рецензування: 09.04.2026
Дата публікації: 30.04.2026

 

 

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