Issues Between YSU Trade Union and Rector Arise; Employees Forced to Leave Union

The Trade Union of Yerevan State University (YSU) has raised alarming concerns: "Dear university employees, the rector of YSU, H. Hovhannisyan, has been taking actions in the past month that obstruct the activities of the YSU trade union, aimed at eliminating the existing mechanisms for social partnership and the protection of workers' rights within YSU.

Problems between the trade union and the rector began after the latter started to impose illegal demands for signing a new collective agreement, which have no correlation with the concept of a collective agreement (for details, see here). It is evident that the main motive behind these actions has been the possible nullification of the collective agreement document that ensures additional legal and social guarantees for employees.

In recent days, many lecturers, heads of departments, and administrative and economic staff have approached the YSU trade union, reporting that they are being urged and forced to leave the union, receiving forms for resignation from the union and notifications for unpaid membership fees. This approach is illegal and contradicts the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia, and the Law on Trade Unions, creating administrative and/or criminal liability.

Our observations indicate that the rector and his representatives are using various administrative levers against the heads of several subdivisions, including some deans, to influence YSU trade union members to renounce their union membership.

Dear university employees, in the coming days, significant layoffs of faculty and staff are expected under the guise of "optimization," "increasing efficiency," and "retraining and certification," which will put hundreds of YSU employees at risk of losing their jobs.

It is clear that the actions of the rector and his representatives have one goal: to make it as easy and quiet as possible to dismiss YSU employees, as a non-union member can be dismissed without the union being able to intervene, and the union's consent will not be a necessary condition; whereas, dismissing a union member requires obtaining written prior consent from the union, without which it becomes impossible to dismiss the employee.

Dear colleagues, we call for unity, to resist the pressures exerted by the rector and his representatives, and withstand this unprecedented administrative interference, thereby ensuring your right to work with dignity and to retain your job.

We also urge some deans and heads of subdivisions influenced by the rector and his representatives to show strength and courage and to refrain from following such illegal orders; otherwise, we will be compelled to publicly disclose the actions and names of those involved in such activities. Additionally, we inform you that complying with such directives from the rector may lead to criminal liability under parts 1 and 2 of Article 229 of the Criminal Code of Armenia.