Women of FTTUB: We expect concrete steps in the fight for equality between women and men at the level of legislation in bulgarian context

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Today, 9th March, was the annual National conference of FTTUB Women’s committee “Women of FTTUB – an active agent in the fight for equality”. The main topic of the conference was equality between women and men. The event was attended by Ekaterina Yordanova FTTUB president, a vicepresident of the European Transport Federation and also a vicepresident of the Women’s Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation, Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, viceresident of Confederation of the independent trade unions in Bulgaria Chavdar Hristov, Valery Latron – National person responsible for the international activities of the French transport union CFDT, vicepresident of Women committee of ETF and also vicepresident ot Women Committee of ITF, chairmen of other trade unions and other organizations.

The conference was opened by Ekaterina Yordanova, which put emphasis on the Third goal of the “Millennium Development Goals of the UN”. “It has always been a priority of achieving equal status of women and their active involvement in empowerment through trade union activities”, said the FTTUB president.
Ekaterina Yordanova pointed out that a few days ago the European Commission presented a report of the equality between women and men for 2014. The report focused on the progress that was made on several main topics – equal economic independence, equal salary for the same job and the same quality of work; equal access to decisions making; an end of the violence against women; gender equality in also the external activities.
“We expect a draft of the Law on gender equality to be submitted for discussion in Bulgarian Parliament in May this year. We hope that our politicians will put in this Law the best European practices and achievements”, said the president FTTUB Ekaterina Yordanova.
As an official guest of the Women’s conference of FTTUB the Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova pointed out that the Transport as a sector is one of the hardest and most dangerous professions where the women’s presence is really strong. Fandakova put emphasis of the fact that as a President of FTTUB Ekaterina Yodanova is fighting not only for equal rights for women but also defends the men’s rights in this sector extremely successful. “Almost 2000 women work in the city transport of Sofia and some of these women are successful managers. 37 % of workers in “Metropolitan” Sofia are women, in “Sofia municipal auto transport” are working 288 women and in “Sofia Electrotransport” are working 503 women”, said Fandakova. The Mayor of Sofia reminded about the agreement between FTTUB and Sofia municipality for cooperation in promoting and creating better conditions for a higher female employment in the urban transport.
The aim of the project “At school with a kid” is implementation of policies in order to support the balance between work and private live of employees who are also parents of children up to age 5. And this is the first step of the framework agreement. The project expects to receive funding from the Norwegian Fund. “At school with a kind” is going to provide training in key competencies using the services of a children’s center as part of a training center of FTTUB.
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Valery Latron who was also an official guest of the Conference noted that everything starts with a fight for just rights. “The fight for equality is permanent” said Latron and added that “we are going to be successful only if we work together. That is why men also must be involved in it. ” Valerie Latron expressed gratitude to President of FTTUB, vicepresident of ETF and ITF vicepresident Ekaterina Yordanova for successful work and projects in favor of equality between women and men.
The vicepresident of the Confederation of the independent trade unions in Bulgaria Chavdar Hristov congratulated the Conference of the Women’s Committee of FTTUB and its guests on behalf of President of CITUB Plamen Dimitrov and stressed that in the face of FTTUB stands organization within the Confederation, which consistently and successfully defend the fight for gender equality over the years and also advocated the topic on the last Congress of the Confederation in May 2012 by the FTTUB president Ekaterina Yordanova.
Chavdar Hristov expose some results which presented that despite existing regulations, directives and recommendations from European Union to Bulgaria, a number of difficulties are still here. The participation of women on the labor market is still on the lowest level of the economy interests. The quality of women’s employment and career opportunities largely determine the level of their income through life time.
On the National conference of the Women Committee of FTTUB this year is focused on the empowerment of women as a key in the fight against the violence against women. These policies are tied to specific mechanisms set by the third goals of the “Millennium Development Goals of the UN”. Adaptation of these mechanisms in bulgarian context provides achievement and realization of two specific tasks – social and economic equality of women.

Find some more information on the topics here:

1. The 2014 report on equality between women and men of European Commission
2. The position of the European Trade Union Confederation about the minimum paid maternity leave
3. “Millennium Development of the UN”