Ukrainian Workers Research Articles

Ensuring Freedom of Labor in Ukraine in the Context of Labor Emigration

Abstract The article is devoted to substantiating the necessity of using existing tools and means of labor law science in certain aspects of labor migration, particularly, concerning the provision of labor freedom for Ukrainian workers - labor emigrants. The integrated approach to the development of methodological foundations for such provision and the development of relevant legal provisions at various stages of realization of a person’s right to labor, as well as in part of ensuring the prohibition of compulsory labor, can qualitatively raise the level of legal regulation of labor migration through the inclusion of labor law science. In support of its argument the article provides a wide range of statistical data on Ukrainian labor emigration. It is determined that the existing problems of Ukrainian labor emigration in the context of ensuring freedom of work can be systematized at the stages of their occurrence in the following way: 1) before the emergence of labor relations with a foreign employer, that is, as long as a Ukrainian citizen is still in Ukraine and acts for the purpose of employment abroad; 2) the emergence of labor relations with a foreign employer, that is, the legal registration of such relationships; 3) the actual beginning of labor relations outside Ukraine, the course of labor relations and the presence of a Ukrainian labor emigrant in them; 4) termination of labor relations of the Ukrainian labor emigrant and return to the territory of Ukraine. The emergence of labor disputes is the optional stage.

US e-learning course adaptation to the Ukrainian context: lessons learned and way forward

BackgroundAccess to continuing education opportunities is limited for Ukrainian healthcare workers, and the need is acute in order to support healthcare reform efforts currently underway in Ukraine. Online learning is a cost-effective mechanism for continuing education since healthcare workers can remain on the job during training. It also provides a means of keeping health professionals up to date on their knowledge and skills in rapidly changing and increasingly complex healthcare environments.MethodsThis paper describes the process of adapting an existing e-learning course from a US institution to the Ukrainian setting. Course participants’ feedback was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted version that was piloted twice in 2016–2017 with 53 participants in total, 46 of whom completed the course and contributed to the evaluation.ResultsThis was the first fully online course on Leadership and Management in Health (LMiH) to be offered in Ukraine. Several lessons were learned during course adaptation when multiple aspects of the Ukrainian environment were taken into account including 1) linguistic accessibility, 2) access to the Internet, 3) computer literacy, and 4) novelty of online learning. Based on these findings, course material was first adapted by translating it from English to Ukrainian with the emphasis on cultural adjustment of idioms and real life examples. Then, using the first pilot results and participants suggestions, videotaped interviews with local healthcare management experts were added in order to further enhance cultural suitability as well as relevance and applicability of the course concepts. The last but not least lesson learned consisted in the fact that enhancing, transitioning, and sustaining online learning to new contexts required engagement of key stakeholders, national level support, and technical assistance through implementation and beyond yet turned out to be both cost-effective and sustainable investment of limited resources. Formative evaluation confirmed that the adaptation efforts resulted in a course relevant and acceptable to healthcare professionals in Ukraine.ConclusionTransition of the course to local ownership was accomplished in partnership with the Ukrainian Family Medicine Training Center in the Bogomolets National Medical University in Kyiv: LMiH is now certified for continuing medical education credit and offered twice a year by this institution. Lessons learned from this experience provide a roadmap for rapidly increasing access to new knowledge and skills for healthcare workers by adapting existing online resources to local needs; they are used to facilitate rapid expansion of other continuing education offerings in Ukraine: additional online courses from the University of Washington (UW) are planned for adaptation.

Rola organizacji pozarządowych w rozwoju ojczystojęzycznego szkolnictwa diaspory ukraińskiej w Kanadzie

Ethnic civic organizations, associations and societies played an important role in the development of Ukrainian schooling in the diaspora during the entire period of its activity. In Canada, in particular, the Ukrainian Workers’ House played a special role in this case. With its efforts, 50 children’s schools have been founded, where almost two thousand pupils studied. In the 1920-s, the Ukrainian National Association (UNA) joined the development of native-language schooling. The most considerable activity in the development of national education of the settlers was shown by the Committee of Ukrainian Canadians (CUC), established in 1940, which, as founders, gradually included 30 ethnic organizations, societies and institutions. At each of its congresses, the issues of activity of native-language schooling was discussed, the concrete measures were developed as for its further development and improvement, strengthening of the influence on the evolution of the national minority and preservation of its ethno-cultural identity in the field of the ethnic environment.

IMMIGRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN EMPLOYEES TO POLAND – DYNAMICS AND SPECIFICITY OF PODKAPRACKIE LABOUR MARKET CHANGES

In 2013-2017 Polish labour market was characterized by an intensive growth of the amount of declarations on entrusting work to a foreigner (filed by the employers) and work permits issued by Voivodes. Over 95% of all declarations registered in poviat labour offices and around 80% of all work permits, refered to Ukrainian workers. One of the voivodeships with the largest inflow of workforce from Ukraine was Podkaprackie Voivodeship. The aim of this study is to present the selected issues refer to dynamics and specificity of the Podkaprackie labour market changes caused by the mentioned Ukrainian workers inflow. Not only the dynamics of changes were analyzed, but also the efforts were made to examine in which sectors and groups of employees, the Ukrainians are employed and what is their correlation with the demand of the Podkarpackie labour market. The regional level situation analysis was presented on the analogous considerations in coutrywide background. The methods of desk research and statistical-descriptive analysis were used in this article. The statistical data used in this study are based on the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy database and show the effect of implementation of the Act of 20th April 2004 on the promotion of employment and labour market institutions (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 1065) by public administration bodies. They include the number of declarations on entrusting work to a foreigner and work permits registred in 2011-2017 in Poland and Podkarpackie Voivodeship. The analysis of empirical data was placed in the theory of the dual labour market and push-pull concept.

A known but uncertain path: The role of foreign labour in Polish agriculture

We assess the role of foreign labour in Polish agriculture in the short run, and reflect on the sustainability of the supply of foreign labour in the long run. We thus examine an example of a new immigrant destination that is characteristic for a large share of agriculture production in the total product and oversupply of domestic labour in a farm sector as a heritage of the post-communist past. Drawing on registry data, on a survey of farmers conducted in 2016, and on a survey of Ukrainian migrants (the largest group of labour migrants in Poland) conducted in 2015, we document the high reliance of the farm sector on foreign workers in several regions of Poland, especially in the Mazowieckie region which is where the rate of employment of foreign labour is the highest in Poland. Because low-paid and arduous farm work is not too attractive to migrants, they tend to seek employment in other sectors, especially women and first-timers. Consequently, a significant increase in the supply of Ukrainian workers to Polish farms is rather unlikely in the near future. This assessment implies that Polish farms should not only rely on a cheap foreign labour, but need to invest in labour-substituting technologies. Our observations add to the literature on the links between labour migration and agricultural development: processes observed in the farm sectors of developed countries resurface in the little explored context of post-communist, new immigrant destinations.

KAZIMIR MALEVICH AND KHARKIV REGION

The talent of Kazimir Malevich, one of the most prominent artists of the abstract art, arose in Ukraine. As it often happens with such great artists, life and destiny of the founder of suprematism evoke many questions and discussions among art historians, biographers and art critics. The problem of a national affiliation of the artist has become a question of prestige for several countries. Consequently, the question about the connection of Kazimir Malevich with the Kharkiv region becomes more essential. Most of the researches devoted to the life and art of the founder of suprematism were created during the second half of the 20th century. Today the topic of artist`s connection with Ukraine is researched by a group of scholars from Kyiv. The problem of Malevich`s art and its nature also stir the interest of international scholars. The author of this article claims that Kazimir Severinovich has got the first impulse for art in Kharkiv region. Author started the research from the analyzes of the Malevich’s early paintings of Ukrainian landscapes, agricultural workers and religious scenes. Thеn he followed the transition of the painter to abstract art and discover his suprematist masterpieces. His temporary abandonment of painting in favour of teaching and writing was investigated. And finally, author researched much-debated return of the Malevich to the figurative painting. Outstanding creative discoveries of suprematism are also connected with Kharkiv. In 1928–1930 Kazimir Malevich published thirteen articles in a Kharkiv-based journal «Nova generatsia» (New generation). There were such articles as «Art and the problems of architecture», «Analysis of new and fine art, the new art and the fine arts», etc among the first publications. In this journal Malevich proved for the first time the substantial connection of colour and form. Later, the principle of the connection of the shape and colour became the basis for the ideas of Bauhaus, and for such works of J. Itten as «The Art of Color» and «Design and Form». Key words: Kazimir Malevich, Kharkiv, Parkhomivka, abstract art, suprematism .

The Impact of Monetary and Non-Monetary Factors of Motivation on Employee Productivity

It is evident that a number of distinct factors are involved in the performance of an employee: his inborn abilities and his character traits; the basic knowledge and the experience he has acquired in the past; and above all, the degree to which he is motivated. In this article consideration is given to motivation as being the factor which has the strongest and the most rapid influence. Our primary objective was to investigate the effectiveness of different methods for enhancing employee motivation in an organization. An initial point to underline in connection with the findings of this study is that we have devised a definition for an additional category that we have examined, one which involves factors that improve performance not because they involve some specific benefits that may be obtained, but because they make it possible to avoid some unpleasant circumstances that could develop if performance is not improved. We refer to these factors as «adverse consequence avoidance factors»: they could be linked with the fear of receiving sharp criticism from a superior, the fear of being observed by others during the process of being reprimanded, or ultimately the fear of being discharged. A survey was conducted to devise a ranking of the various factors in terms of their influence on personnel productivity. The results of the study demonstrate that the employees’ fear of being discharged or of receiving a sharp criticism from their superior are important factors, that increase productivity of Ukrainian workers. Moreover, the results of the survey indicated that there are three factors which influence labour productivity more than any others – having a satisfactory basic salary, obtaining bonuses and receiving verbal or written recognition. Having access to free parking or feeling that one’s job provides a personal challenge are considered to be less influential factors. However, there are significant differences between the groups with respect to some specific factors. The combinations of monetary and non-monetary incentives that have the highest influence on employee performance are suggested for different staff groups: top, middle and low level managers, and professional and supporting staff.

Frustrations or moving forward? Ukrainian social work within the ‘hybrid war’ context

ABSTRACTBased on interviews and desk review this paper explores social work activities during the on-going armed conflict on the territory of Ukraine with regard to theoretical framework of a multidimensional ‘hybrid war’. The study defines the key groups of war-affected population and looks at a variety of interventions during different stages of the warfare (2014–2016). The paper argues that during the armed conflict Ukrainian social services and social workers have been unprepared to act in emergency situations and political conflicts. A number of structural and ethical complexities have been identified, including value conflicts. The paper suggests possible ways of ensuring social work responses to the emergency situations during warfare within the context of the newly developed professional social work.

Transnational Behaviour of Ukrainian Remitting Migrants

AbstractIn connection with the growing trend of transnationalism in international migration flows, the number of transnational communities has been increasing. The aim of this study is to describe the transnational dynamics and processes using the example of remitting Ukrainian workers in Czechia. The research was conducted with immigrants in Czechia and their families in Ukraine. More than 50 interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Based on the remittances sent, marital status, gender, mobility and locality of immigrants, a typology was created, in which the specifics of transnational processes were assessed. We argue that different behaviour of transnational migrants is a reflection of their socio‐demographic characteristics (e.g. family status, education or number of children), which may change over time.

Поведінкова економіка і питання мотивування персоналу

In this article, based on the research of scientists and specialists in the field of management, guided by international experience and knowledge, as well as the experience of leading experts in this field, the author points the way to managerial success and answers the question: what specific steps and measures should be taken by an oriented manager to obtain a significant result and how to ensure the development and effective motivation of their subordinates? How, however, to learn the head to hear the collective and reasonably and effectively to direct and use available resources both material and non-material. Also, the author has conducted research on the most successful methods of motivation specifically for our open spaces, taking into account mental, national and cultural characteristics, and on this basis, practical advice has been developed for the manager on the path to a deep understanding of key things that determine the behavior of employees and affect their performance. This article describes what incentives and motives, in most cases, control the behavior of subordinates, how to reach an employee in order to encourage him to work as efficiently as possible and to be proactive in the workplace. What should be done to prevent the employee’s internal stress from growing like a snowball, but softening and minimizing through an external special action? Also, in this article there is an answer to the question: how in the harsh conditions of the present to increase the effectiveness of subordinate managers of enterprises and divisions in Ukraine? What trends are currently more in tune with the needs of Ukrainian workers in the world: global or European, and which of the factors affecting employees' willingness to work that are effective for Ukraine, those that are either in terms of financial rewards or non-financial incentives? And other important questions.

ЧИННИКИ КОНСОЛІДАЦІЇ УКРАЇНСТВА В ПОЛІТИЧНИХ ПРОГРАМАХ ДИСИДЕНТІВ (КІНЕЦЬ 1950-Х – ПОЧАТОК 1960-Х РОКІВ)

An activity of the Ukrainian Workers and Peasants Union (UWPU) headed by Levko Lukyanenko in West Ukraine at the end of the 1950s to the beginning of the 1960s was a manifestation of the struggle for independence of Ukraine. Contemporary historiography studies the UWPU’s activity in the context of looking for new forms and methods of the political resistance to the Soviet system in West Ukraine without using the ideology of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. The result of the struggle depended on the ability to consolidate a whole society by the leaders of the national liberation movement. In the article we shall study the ideas about unity of the Ukrainian society and potential factors of its consolidation in the program documents of the UWPU. A task in hand of the UWPU was “to unmask before workers and peasants an irreconcilable opposite of their interests and the interests of the bureaucratic officialdom as well to compel the direction to comply in the sphere of increasing freedoms of people. Nevertheless an addition complication in the UWPU’s propaganda in West Ukraine was Lykyanenko’s and Kandyba’s, the leading members’ belonging to the system of the Soviet justice which was a part of the party and state structure and estranged deeply from people. The UWPU proclaimed a start of a new stage of struggle for the independence of Ukraine by the most conscientious workers and peasants which are united all over Ukraine and do not communicate with each other. The struggle of the UWPU for Ukraine’s secession from the USSR should be peaceful and according to the Soviet constitution on the tactic and ideological grounds. The UWPU has thought that the idea of the independent Ukraine is only one possible idea which could unite the whole Ukrainian people, exploited by the Russian Soviet colonialist polotics workers and peasants deprived of their rights. The programme of the Union opposed the whole Ukrainian people to the Ukrainian Communists, the representatives of the party and state officialdom, as obedient representatives of the colonial administration. The members of the UWPU, high-principled Marxists, proclaimed their unstinting support the struggle of the Ukrainian Uprising Army for the independence of Ukraine and blamed an armed repression by the Soviet state the Ukrainian underground in West Ukraine. Taking into account the Ukrainian people changed during centuries of slavery and a social oppression the UWPU’s programme does not only presume to challenge the presence of the protest potential of the Ukrainian people but also affirms that in time the Ukrainian people’s aspiration to independence develops widely and its struggle for the independence becomes fiercer. The UWPU suggests to campaign among workers and peasants for the uniting the whole Ukrainian people for the struggle for Ukrainian state independency, as well to win representatives of other nationalities which live in Ukraine, and fight for general democratization of the state structure in the USSR

Мотивация инновационной деятельности персонала в системе управления постоянным развитием предприятия.

In the article were identified: the main categories of motivational process, features of the formation of the mechanism of of staff innovative activity. Analysis of modern scientific views of the concept motivation of staff showed that the of innovation is a set of needs and motives that encourage staff and management to the creative activity in order to create innovative products, services, forms of their implication, implementation of new technologies in order to ensure improvement of the quality and competitiveness of the labor work. High level of education and intellectual activity is important for the implementation of innovation activity: the more creative and intellectual challenges in the function, the more noticeable the role of non-material incentives in the process of innovation activity. Lack of the developed system of financial incentives and certain guarantees of social protection, absence of improved means of evaluation of the results of work and incentives to creative and active work are considered to be the main determining factors of the reduction of the creative activity of Ukrainian workers. Each stage of the innovation process is influenced by different motivational factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of the idea. Based on the results of the survey which was held among employees of enterprises of transport sector the main motivating factors that promote innovation are: opportunities for the professional and personal growth, understanding of the directions of the development, faith in its future. In the article were proposed directions how to improve the application of motivational factors in innovation management activity, appliance of which will increase staff productivity and level of the innovativeness of the enterprise.

Культурно-освітня та благочинна діяльність товариства українських робітників «Сила» у Львові (1907–1939)

Культурно-освітня та благочинна діяльність товариства українських робітників «Сила» у Львові (1907–1939)

Економічні чинники солідарності, колективних дій та конформізму в робітничому середовищі України

The article analyzes the impact of the mode of production of material life for solidarity and collective action of workers. Analysis revealed sectoral polarization of views between traditional industrial proletariat and the latest servicing proletariat. The class consciousness of the Ukrainian workers hampered paternalistic nature of the relationship with the administration of domestic companies (both public and private), while work in enterprises with foreign capital contributes activist type of political consciousness. Rising income workers to direct their constructive methods of settling disputes with the administration and simultaneously eliminates their readiness to protest action. Instead, low income contributes to alienation in the working environment.

The Ukrainian Labor Migrants in Portugal and the Other Countries Worldwide with Ukrainian Diaspora: Ukraine's Loss, the Worldwide Benefit

The history of Ukrainian immigration started in the 19th century from the first wave of Ukrainian immigration, and continues today. Canada has already marked the 100th anniversary of Ukrainian Diaspora, and Brazil, the120th anniversary. In the 1990s of the last century, the fourth wave of Ukrainian migration began, which drove a significant flow of Ukrainian migrant workers to the European Union: Portugal, Italy, Spain and Greece. Today in Portugal, the Ukrainian labor migrants, very diligent and educated, continue to play a significant role in building the country's economy.

STRUCTURAL CHANNELS FOR UKRAINIAN LABOUR MIGRATION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

1. Introduction In the 2000s and the 2010s, migration to the CEE countries (Central and East European countries) gained a special significance. There exists an observable pattern of East-West migration, on the one hand from New Member States (NMS) of the EU to Western Europe, on the other hand from Newly Independent Countries (NIS) to NMS of the EU. Leon-Ledesma, Piracha (2001) characterized the migration from CEE as temporary and short-term. The Czech Republic is, due to its advantageous geographical location in the heart of Europe, a very important country for European migrants--either as a final destination or a transitive point. From all post-Communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Czech Republic receives the largest part of foreign labour force, with Ukrainian workers as a most important group (Figure 1). In 2009 Ukrainians comprised 21% of all immigrants and in 2006 their share was even larger--over 30 thousands of immigrants from Ukraine constituted 46% of overall immigration (CZSO 2011). Generally immigrants from non-EU countries comprise 68% of all foreigners in the Czech Republic, from which 43% are originally from Ukraine. The process of transformation in Ukraine that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union is still on-going and the country faces high unemployment, corruption, slow economic development and high inflation. The economic development of the country is slowed down by political environment and situation of dependency on Russian energy sources and struggles for power. The discontent with the situation in the country reached the point where people started the socalled Orange revolution as a response to 2004 parliament election (see e.g. Chaban and Vernygora 2010). However, pro-Western policy of the new government was not successful and new elections brought pro-Russian forces back to power (Wilson 2005, Strielkowski and Glazar 2012). The collapse of the Soviet Union triggered migration movement from Ukraine to the West (Malynovska 2008, Duvell 2006). There was also change in the type of migration--people did not migrate due to the ethical and political reasons, but mainly due to the economic ones (see e.g. Mendes 2009, or Jelinkova et al. 2011). Ukraine became an essential supply of labour for member states of the EU since more than half of migrants enter EU's labour markets (Siar 2008, Malynovska 2008, or Mendes 2009). Ukrainian migration is typically circular (i.e. with intention to return back regularly or for good), 80% of emigrants long to come back to Ukraine eventually, they maintain relationships with families, stay in direct contact, quite often are able to come home and they also realize investments in Ukraine (Markov et al. 2009). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Currently more than 10% of Ukrainian population (1/5 of working age population) work abroad, typically on temporary basis (Duvell 2006). According to Siar (2008) 15.7% of households have at least one or more members with experience of working abroad. Most often Ukrainians are engaged in secondary labour market and usually they do not constitute competitive counterparts to local workers (Markov et al. 2009). They are usually working in the building and construction sector, in housekeeping and agricultural industry (Vollmer et al. 2010). For the whole decade the GDP growth was negative and economy started to recover at the beginning of the new century. That did not automatically mean that the recovery completely helped the soundness of economy. The GDP of the country in 2006 resulted in 63% and in 2007 in 68% of the level in 1989. The world economic crisis caused further shock for the economy when in 2009 GDP shrank by 15% (Kowalski and Polowczyk 2012). The evolvement of GDP per capita in Ukraine and in the Czech Republic is depicted in Figure 2. The striking difference between values of GDP per capita is one of the evidence of better standards of living in the Czech Republic and thus these values can be understood as an important motivation for Ukrainian migrant workers at the time of their choice of destination country. …

“Working-Class Heresies”: Ideology in Protests of Ukrainian Workers During the World Economic Crisis 2009–2012

This article studies the ideas and ideologies publicly expressed by workers’ organizations (alternative trade unions and various support groups) in Ukraine during the world economic crisis. Studying such ideas allows insights into the extent to which the post-communist political-economic order has won the acceptance of important segments of society; about how the mobilized parts of the working class perceive the country’s political leaders, and about the actions and alliances pursued by various workers’ organizations against politicians and business groups. The study shows how workers’ and other marginal groups’ organizations depict reality in their public declarations so as to facilitate the emergence of a large alliance of have-nots on the basis of total rejection of Ukraine’s post-1991 political and economic establishment.

Twenty years after the Chernobyl accident: solid cancer incidence in various groups of the Ukrainian population

Several major international studies such as those performed on the A-bomb survivors, have shown a clear linkage between the exposure to ionizing radiation and the occurrence of various cancer types including leukemia. While these studies are mostly characterized by high dose rates, studies on populations exposed after the Chernobyl accident are in most cases characterized by low dose rates which are typical for occupational radiation protection. Here, data on more than 60,000 Ukrainian workers who participated in recovery operation works in Chernobyl in 1986-1987, more than 50,000 evacuees from the city of Prypyat and the 30 km zone, and about 360,000 residents of most contaminated territories are presented, which cover a period of observation from 1980 to 2004. For all cancers combined, statistically significant higher incidence rates than the national rates were found only for the recovery workers (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) 117.2%, 95% confidence interval: 114.1-120.3), while those for the other investigated groups were lower. In all groups under study a significant increase of thyroid cancer incidence rates has been registered. This increase appears to be associated, at least partly, with the fallout of radioiodine, and it was found not only in children, but also in adolescents and adults. For example, the most significant excess was found for male recovery workers corresponding to a factor of 8.0. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the contribution of confounding factors such as an intensified thyroid screening after the Chernobyl accident could not be quantified, in the present study. For female recovery workers there was also an excess of breast cancer over the national rates (SIR 190.6%; 95% confidence interval: 163.6-217.7%). An analysis of the two other groups (evacuees and residents of contaminated territories) gave controversial results: relative to the local standard there was a statistically significant excess, while comparison with the national level did not substantiate this conclusion.

The Chornobyl Accident: Estimation of Radiation Doses Received by the Baltic and Ukrainian Cleanup Workers

During the first day after the explosion, the Chornobyl accident of April 26, 1986 exposed a few hundred emergency workers to high dose levels ranging up to 16 Gy, resulting in acute radiation syndrome. Subsequently, several hundred thousand cleanup workers were sent to the Chornobyl power plant to mitigate the consequences of the accident. Depending on the nature of the work to be carried out, the cleanup workers were sent for periods ranging from several minutes to several months. The average dose from external radiation exposure that was received by the cleanup workers was about 170 mGy in 1986 and decreased from year to year. The radiation exposure was mainly due to external irradiation from gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides and was relatively homogeneous over all organs and tissues of the body. To assess the possible health consequences of external irradiation at relatively low dose rates, the U.S. National Cancer Institute is involved in two studies of Chornobyl cleanup workers: (1) a study of cancer incidence and thyroid disease among Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian workers, and (2) a study of leukemia and other related blood diseases among Ukrainian workers. After an overview of the sources of exposure and of the radiation doses received by the cleanup workers, a description of the efforts made to estimate individual doses in the Baltic and Ukrainian studies is presented.

Eastward bound: A case study of post-soviet labour migration from a rural Ukrainian town

This case study uses ethnographic interviews and survey data to explore temporary work migration from Komsomolsk, a rural town in central Ukraine. At the time of the Soviet collapse, experts expected temporary work migrants to orient toward labour markets in Western Europe but our data show that in 2002 the majority of temporary migrants made trips to Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union from Komsomolsk. Women were less likely than men to engage in temporary work migration, yet those women who did migrate for work were more likely to migrate west. Men, particularly older, ethnically Russian men, sought work in the east. Ethnographic data indicate language skills and knowledge of the Russian labour market influenced migrants' choice of destination. Social contacts, such as recruiters from Russian construction firms, helped to bring Ukrainian workers east. Survey data show that younger ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians from all age groups were more likely to seek work within the country or in Western job markets than in Russia.