ACTIVITIES OF THE STATE LABOR SERVICE OF UKRAINE: STRENGTHENING OF LABOR STANDARDS, MONITORING OF COMPLIANCE WITH LABOR LEGISLATION AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Abstract

An attempt was made to comprehensively analyze the activities of the State Labor Service of Ukraine as the central body of the executive power, its control and supervisory powers, the reform process, which should serve to increase the efficiency of its activities, the perception of the State Labor Service, first of all, not as a punitive, but as a service body, to change working conditions labor inspectors, implementation of international legal standards, in particular, in light of the implementation of the provisions of the Association Agreement with the EU. The mission of State Labor Service of Ukraine, as this body considers it, is to ensure declared (control over the registration of labor relations), safe (during the performance of work in all areas: from metallurgy to hospitals and schools), paid (timely and full payment of wages, compliance minimum size and minimum payment guarantees), as well as healthy (monitoring of medical examinations, the presence of harmful factors during working months) labor relations. This activity is primarily aimed at protecting the rights of employees, but, based on consultations with the parties to the social dialogue, it should also support the other side of labor relations - employers, by providing recommendations, advisory assistance, conducting voluntary audits, etc. The content of the main international norms, which contain standards regarding the activities of labor inspectors - ILO Conventions No. 81 and No. 129, as well as the Protocol of 1995 to the Convention on Labor Inspection of 1947 (No. 81) is analyzed, the need for their implementation into Ukrainian legislation is emphasized. The task of labor inspection, its status, organization and main powers of labor inspectors in industry, trade and agriculture, defined in these international normative acts, are given. An overview of the content and tasks of a number of international projects with the participation of the State Labor Service of Ukraine, as well as their main results, was carried out. Some issues of distinguishing between supervision and control, problematic issues of its implementation, and opinions of legal experts regarding ways to solve them are analyzed. The main modern problems in the field of labor relations as a whole are highlighted: still a high share of undeclared labor relations, which entails a number of problems for employees, employers and the state, the relocation of enterprises from the east of the country in connection with armed aggression against our state, the need to ensure healthy and safe conditions at the workplace, etc. The main shortcomings in the activity of State Labor Inspectors of Ukraine are outlined, in particular, heavy workload, low wages, limitations in activity caused by inconsistency of legislation.