On 12 December 2007 Vladimir Demyan, a trade union leader and the chairperson of Protection of Labour [Zahist Pracy] a Kyiv independent union, technician for electrical installations at the Commercial Centre 16 of METRO Cash & Carry Ukraine (part of the METRO Group multinational holding company headquartered in Dusseldorf, Germany) was unlawfully dismissed [1] in Kyiv.

Following a campaign by workers locally, and international pressure [2] through the UNI global union, Mr Demyan was yesterday guaranteed his job back. The local union, Zahist Pracy, will be able to organise unhindered by such union-busting efforts by management.

The trade unionist in Kyiv are understandably very pleased [3]:

Signing of the protocol of negotiations beetween management of “Metro Group” and global trade-union network UNI, according to which “Metro Cash & Carry-Ukraine” reinstates in office Volodymyr Demyan became the ending of an extremely significant episode in fighting for observance of legal norms of labour legislation on the teritorry of ex-USSR countries. Within the next few days activity of our independent trade-union will be restored on the enterprise “Metro Cash & Carry-Ukraine” and we are going to resume the negotiations in order to sign a collective contract.

Solidarity works. Here endeth the lesson.

Oh, except, what's the global trade union for public sector workers [4] doing about this [5]? Or this [6]?