Regarding my legal case and the dismissal, there are two main levels where support can make a difference.
At the political and institutional level, letters of support sent to the Swedish Embassy or to the employers’ organization, Ports of Sweden, can be important — especially if they clearly condemn the dismissal and identify it as union‑busting.
If the choice is between losing my job or remaining passive while children are being killed with impunity, I’d still make the same decision.
At the rank‑and‑file level, support works differently and, in many ways, more powerfully. Sharing videos, statements, or updates is incredibly effective. Simply showing that people know what’s happening matters a lot. When our members see that their actions resonate thousands of miles away, it strengthens morale in a very real and tangible way.
This isn’t limited to Ukrainian trade unionists. The same applies everywhere. A short video or photo from Greek dockworkers, for example, or a message we send in return, often has more impact on the rank and file than a carefully worded letter to an embassy. Ideally, you work on both levels.
More broadly, I think the trade union movement needs to clearly understand that trade union rights are built on human rights and civil liberties — you cannot separate the two. You can’t remain passive while freedoms of speech, fair trials, or basic legal protections are being dismantled and hope that trade union rights will somehow survive on their own.
If no principles are treated as sacred — if everything becomes negotiable — then trade union rights are just words on paper, and easily taken away. We’ve seen this pattern repeatedly: first, rights are stripped from migrants, asylum seekers, or unpopular minorities; then, rights to protest or speak freely are curtailed; and eventually, the right to strike and organize is attacked.
If unions position themselves as only concerned with wages, contracts, and workplace rules — standing on the sidelines while other rights are eroded — we will find ourselves without allies when it’s our turn. And when human rights are disregarded in general, trade union rights will not survive either.