From bombed classrooms to coal mines under siege, Ukraine’s trade unions are fighting for survival against Russian fascism and for the future of their country.
Chris Ford is the secretary for the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign and GMB activist
As part of a vital aid mission to Ukraine, a vehicle funded by GMB and packed with essential supplies has been delivered directly to the frontline in the Kharkiv region. The mission, organised by the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC), covered 3,000 kilometres in response to an urgent appeal from the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU).
Volunteers – including GMB member Christopher Ford from the GMB N90 Branch – delivered three pick-up trucks loaded with medical aid and winter supplies for union members serving on the frontline. One vehicle was handed to the 10th Para Military Mine Rescue Squad, along with specialist medical equipment for rescue operations in Donbas, coordinated by GMB member and paramedic Alla Kurhanska from Harlow health service. Within hours, the vehicle was dispatched to Donbas, where thousands of miners were trapped underground following Russian bombing. Thanks to swift action, every miner was brought to safety.
Another pick-up, donated by the NUM, was delivered to members of the Metalurgical Workers Union , many of them employees of the PJSC KAMETSTAL plant in the Dnipropetrovsk region, now serving as volunteers on the frontline in Kharkiv. A third vehicle, fully funded and donated by GMB, was provided to an anti-UAV platoon of the 129th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade, which counters Russian drone attacks. The brigade is made up largely of miners from Kryvyi Rih, and the platoon itself is commanded by an activist from the Free Trade Union of Education and Science.
Alongside the vehicle, GMB supplied specialist winter clothing, sleeping bags for extreme cold, heaters, trauma kits, and medical supplies sufficient for two platoons. Volunteers also delivered two specialist drones to assist in defence operations. In Kharkiv, the delegation visited, the Kharkiv Professional College of Sports,home to the primary branch of the Free Trade Union of Education and Science of Ukraine (VPONU). Less than 30 kilometres from the Russian border, the college has produced Olympic champions. On 26 March 2024, it was struck by Iskander ballistic missiles – the third attack since the full-scale invasion – an assault documented as a war crime. ‘Kharkiv is wounded, but it is alive and refusing to surrender,’ said Igor Prikhodko, head of the KVPU’s Kharkiv regional organisation. Despite devastation, 450 pupils continue to train. ‘The Russian terrorists are waging war on children,’ Prikhodko added. ‘They are waging war on Ukraine’s national identity, and that is why they attack our educational centres.’
In central Kharkiv, handmade posters declare ‘Death to the Russian Fascist Invaders,’ echoing slogans from World War Two and symbolising the resilience of the people. Kharkiv has endured relentless bombardment since 2022. Russia believed it would occupy the city in two days. Instead, Ukrainian forces fought for months to push them back and liberate the region.
Throughout this struggle, trade unions have mobilised to support the war effort. Many members went to the front in the first days of invasion. KVPU provides humanitarian aid to soldiers’ families, alongside psychological support and resilience training. In partnership with the International Labour Organisation and Belgian unions, they deliver free legal and psychological assistance to members, displaced people, and soldiers. From bombed classrooms to coal mines under siege, Ukraine’s trade unions are fighting for survival against Russian fascism and for the future of their country.
The aid mission also travelled to Kyiv to attend the Ukraine Progressive Summit, organised by the Social Democratic Platform. The event brought together progressives such as Social Movement, the labour party Peoples Power, trade unionists, LGBTIQ+ campaigners, members of Ukraine’s Parliament, and European MPs to discuss Ukraine’s future.
Olesia Briazgunova, international secretary of KVPU, explained: ‘Our priority is keeping our members safe.’ She warned that the war is being used to push Ukraine towards a neoliberal economy, prioritising markets over workers. For KVPU members fighting on the frontline, it is vital they return to a country committed to social justice and workers’ rights – not oligarchs.
The delegation also visited the Save Ukraine centre. Earlier this year, GMB supported a ‘March for the Children’ in London to highlight the plight of 1.6 million children still under occupation and at least 35,000 abducted have been taken to Russia. Save Ukraine rescues children from occupied territories, provides housing, psychological care, and social support. Since the full-scale invasion, the centre has rescued more than 1,300 children. Shockingly, one in ten rescued children has suffered sexual abuse. ‘Russia is specifically targeting children,’ explained Alina Dmytrenko, the centre’s government relations officer. ‘It is part of their aim: to break Ukrainian identity and trust.’ Save Ukraine collects forensic evidence and testimonies, sharing them with prosecutors, Ukraine’s attorney general, and the International Criminal Court.
This mission demonstrates the crucial role of GMB in delivering aid directly to those who need it most – union members on the frontline. From vehicles and medical supplies to clothing and drones, GMB’s support has saved lives and strengthened Ukraine’s defence. But the struggle is far from over. Ukraine’s unions are fighting not only for survival but for a future built on social justice and workers’ rights. Solidarity must continue. Direct support from unions like GMB is not charity – it is a lifeline for those defending democracy in Europe.
Now more than ever, we must stand with Ukraine’s unions. Your continued support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian fascism is essential – contact the USC for further information on how you can help the current aid appeal from unions in Ukraine. Email: [email protected]
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.