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The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (FTUM) participated in the regional event “Just Transition and Nationally Determined Contributions – Bridging Climate Ambition and Social Justice”, with the support of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and GIZ.
The three-day event brought together representatives of governments, trade unions and employers from Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, who discussed the challenges and opportunities of the just transition process — shifting to low-carbon economies in a way that ensures social justice and security for workers.
The focus of the sessions was the role of trade unions in ensuring a just transition and the need for ongoing social dialogue between governments, the business community and trade unions.
Elena Petrova: “No transition can be just without workers and their unions”
The representative of the SCM, Elena Petrova, in her presentation, presented the proposed policies and activities of the SCM in the area of just transition and highlighted the successful cooperation with the ILO Office in Skopje, which, through expert support, assists in the processes ahead of the country.
“No transition can be called just if it does not include all social partners. Trade unions must be the voice of workers, ensuring that their needs and concerns are heard before any national policies or decisions are made,” Petrova stressed.
The SSM also emphasised the need for the Just Transition process to become part of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) annual programme for 2026, as well as the request for trade unions to actively participate in the Just Transition Council and in all newly established working groups related to this topic.
The Director of the ILO Office for Central and Eastern Europe, Ms Claire Haraszti, stressed the importance of such regional meetings, which allow for the sharing of experiences and good practices among social partners:
“This event aims to learn from each other, use real evidence and practices to support the adoption of better policies, as well as prepare for the next phase of nationally determined contributions, which must have a greater and stronger focus on decent work and a just transition,” Haraszti emphasised.
ILO: Social dialogue is key to a successful transition
The ILO Senior Specialist for Workers' Activities, Gocha Aleksandria, recalled that social dialogue and tripartism are central to sustainable development policies and emphasised that collective agreements should be given greater weight in implementing the transition.
According to him, it is through collective agreements that the risks of job losses, the need for retraining and the social protection of workers can be anticipated and mitigated.
SSM: Joint action to protect jobs
SSM emphasised in its presentations that trade unions and the business community have expertise and capacity that can complement the work of the Government, especially through national and local economic and social councils. The goal is to preserve jobs, ensure the protection of workers' rights and maintain economic and social stability during the transition period.
In the end, participants agreed that only through active social dialogue and joint action can a just transition be ensured – while preserving workers’ social security and caring for the environment and future generations.
The ILO reaffirmed its commitment to continue supporting such initiatives and training, which enable countries in the region to learn from each other and advance their just transition policies.
