FEU and Mykolaiv Regional Employers’ Organization "Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Mykolaiv Region" hosted an important meeting with a delegation of Danish employers and trade unions. Representatives of employers and trade unions of Mykolaiv region, as well as local authorities, took part in the event.
The Danish delegation included Peter Helk, Leading Senior Advisor of the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), DI Consultant Yulia Muzychenko, Lone Ilum Kristiansen, Director of the Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA), and Tobias Bavnsgaard, International Coordinator of the Danish employers and trade unions federation 3F.
Also attending the meeting were Olena Mochalova, Director of International Relations of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, Vasyl Andreev, Deputy Head of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine and Head of the Construction and Building Materials Workers’ Union of Ukraine, as well as Olga Doroshenko, HR Director and Head of the Operational and Legal Support Department at Agrofusion, and Kostyantyn Furman.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the state of social dialogue in the region, challenges, and ways to restore the economy and social life of Mykolaiv. The Danish side expressed strong interest in promoting structured dialogue between employers, trade unions, and local authorities.
Prior to the meeting, the Mykolaiv Regional Employers’ Organization conducted a survey of several enterprises in the region regarding social dialogue, workforce potential, business competitiveness, and the impact of the war.
Key findings of the study:
• Most enterprises reported a severe shortage of qualified workers due to specialist outflow and low quality of vocational education in the region. Employers are forced to provide additional on-the-job training.
• There is a clear need to expand vocational retraining programs and long-term courses covering a variety of specialties.
• All surveyed enterprises actively employ vulnerable groups such as internally displaced persons, veterans, family members of servicemen, persons with disabilities, and others.
• Social dialogue among employers, trade unions, and authorities requires further development and strengthening.
• Main obstacles to business competitiveness include insufficient funding, administrative barriers, lack of partner networks, and limited market information.
• The war has significantly impacted enterprises: 50% suffered staff losses, and 80% experienced damage to production infrastructure.
In conclusion, participants emphasized the importance of active social dialogue and systemic business support for effective economic recovery in Mykolaiv and expressed readiness to continue cooperation.
The visit of the Danish delegation and the survey were carried out within the framework of the Labour Market Project supported by the MFA of Denmark.
