Expert proposes that trade unions participate in supervisory board of Ukrzaliznytsia with advisory vote
The Supervisory Board of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia should involve employee representatives in its work, including by allowing trade unions to participate in advisory meetings, according to Vitaliy Dudin, project coordinator for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation's representative office in Ukraine.
"Corporate governance cannot be reduced solely to the interests of the owner or the management elite. Employees must be represented on supervisory boards to prevent conflicts, increase trust, and ensure decision transparency," Dudin emphasized at a press conference titled "Report of the Youth Council of Railway Workers and a study on employee participation in the Supervisory Board of Ukrzaliznytsia," held at Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
He noted that in EU countries neighboring Ukraine, in particular Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, the right of employees to be elected to company supervisory boards is guaranteed by law.
In particular, this practice is most widespread in the railway industry, where large workforces operate, and the quota for employee representation on supervisory boards ranges from 30% to 50%, notes the project coordinator of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation's representative office in Ukraine.
According to him, it would be appropriate to enshrine in the law "On joint-stock companies" the right of employees to delegate employees to the supervisory board, as well as in the charter of Ukrzaliznytsia.
Dudin clarified that in other countries, an election process is conducted to elect employees to the supervisory board, and such rules are enshrined in labor or commercial codes.
"I believe that a model that would suit Ukraine is one in which general provisions for electing employees to supervisory boards are provided for in the law on joint-stock companies, along with duplication of similar provisions in the charters of enterprises, such as the charter of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia," Dudin clarified.
According to him, the company should also develop more detailed regulations, regulating the timing and procedures for the election campaign to delegate employee representatives to supervisory boards, with representative trade unions and the employer.
The project coordinator asserts that the government, together with Ukrzaliznytsia, has confirmed its willingness to adopt such practices.
In turn, Kateryna Izmailova, chair of the youth council of the Trade Union of Railway Workers and Transport Builders of Ukraine (2022–2025), specified that during 2022–2025, a number of training sessions and studies were conducted, and projects were implemented to support young railway workers in their careers.
According to her, in 2024, there was a staff shortage of about 30%, which led to the creation of the project ‘A Successful Start to Your Career on the Railways’ for railway transport students. In particular, the project was carried out in 12 cities and 14 educational institutions, with a total of more than 500 participants.
"Currently, in 2025, the management of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia has held a series of hackathons for students of higher educational institutions. There is also a programme to support and adapt young employees of Ukrzaliznytsia," Izmailova emphasised.
It is noted that in 2024, the Youth Council conducted a sociological study and published a guide on the adaptation of veterans in order to start forming a culture of support in work collectives. In 2025, the work was focused on the rights of railway workers affected by Russian shelling.
Izmailova separately noted that in 2023, when the idea of a trade union school arose, support from Swedish partners was partially provided, and the rest of the funds were allocated by the trade union council. In 2024, funding was provided entirely by the trade union council.
"In 2025, we managed to implement the first stage of the trade union school because the funding came from road trade union organisations or regional trade union organisations. We decided to scale up, so the first stage was carried out locally, and the second stage should be general, funded by the trade union council," Izmailova noted.
According to her, approval for funding the second stage has not yet been received, so the implementation of this project will be transferred to the next youth council.
At the same time, the project coordinator stressed that the government, together with Ukrzaliznytsia, must confirm their readiness to adopt such practices and agree that employees are entitled to a guaranteed quota on supervisory boards.
