Ukraine Significantly Raises Minimum Wages for Construction Workers: A Landmark Sector Agreement Signed
The country has taken a major step forward in labor rights and economic security for construction workers and the industrial sector through the signing of a new Sectoral Agreement between trade unions and government representatives. This agreement aims not only to increase wage rates but also to improve working conditions, safety measures, qualification standards, and legal protection for employees working in Ukraine's construction industry. According to the signed document, the minimum salary for construction workers has now been set at 12,142 hryvnias, doubling the previous figure and representing 401% of the subsistence minimum. This substantial increase underscores the government’s and unions’ commitment to ensuring decent income levels and fair labor standards. The agreement is valid from 2025 to 2027 and will serve as the foundation for concluding or updating collective agreements at construction enterprises across the country. Despite the hike in the legal minimum wage, data from Work.ua indicates that the average salary for construction jobs in Kyiv currently amounts to about 37,500 hryvnias, highlighting a significant gap between legislative minima and actual earnings. Additionally, the new agreement emphasizes workplace safety, workforce qualification enhancement, organized labor processes, and employee legal protections. During summer, regional disparities have been observed, with salaries in Odesa and the Carpathian Mountains increasing in specific categories; notably, salary growth in Odesa has outpaced that in the Carpathians, reflecting ongoing economic improvements and regional development efforts across Ukraine’s construction sector.