As part of the Trade Union Lifeline (TUL) initiative, Labor Initiatives continues to facilitate workshops with international unionists to strengthen internal democracy among young union leaders and activists.
On March 5, an event brought together over 30 participants as part of an ongoing series of experience exchanges between Ukrainian union youth and international trade union leaders.
The guest speaker was Tristan Masat, who is the Solidarity Center Country Program Director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, a founder Board Chair of Labor Initiatives.
Tristan unveiled his union story, starting as a rank-and-file activist, and what motivated him to stay in this movement for more than 30 years. He shared his experience organizing union campaigns and highlighted the pros and cons of different approaches to democratic union organization across countries. Additionally, in responding to participants’ inquiries, Tristan shared important international experiences in post-war reconstruction and the union’s role in that process, while emphasizing the uniqueness of the Ukrainian situation, the challenges it faces, and how these might influence the organizing approaches and tactics of local unions.
Amidst multiple questions from participants, Tristan highlighted the role of the Ukrainian labor movement and grassroots union communications. He discussed international union solidarity and building support for Ukrainian workers —as well as how Ukrainians can share their wartime solidarity skills and experiences globally.
