This time, the meeting of top trade union representatives from Slovakia, Czechia, Poland and Hungary that took place in Svidnik, Slovakia, on 3 November 2026, was also attended by representatives of Ukrainian trade unions.

CELSI researcher Daryn Zholdasbay also spoke at the meeting, with a presentation on AI in employment.

Participants discussed the EU social agenda and the priorities of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

They also looked at developments in social policy, collective bargaining and industrial relations in the V4 countries, the situation of workers and trade unions in Ukraine, and AI and algorithmic management in the workplace.

Participants included KOZ SR President Monika Uhlerová, ČMKOS President Josef Středula, OPZZ President Piotr Ostrowski and MASZSZ President Róbert Zlati.

They were joined by representatives of the Polish union Solidarność, the Hungarian confederations SZEF, MOSz, LIGA and ÉSZT, and the Ukrainian confederations FPU and KVPU.

At European level, the meeting was attended by ETUC Confederal Secretary Tea Jarc and Lucie Studničná, President of the Workers’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

It was precisely because of the focus on AI that the organisers also invited CELSI junior researcher Daryn Zholdasbay to speak.

Daryn, a recent Public Policy graduate of the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences of Comenius University, presented the research from his master’s thesis, which has also been published as a CELSI Research Report.

In it, Daryn compares how social partners in Slovakia and Italy engage with artificial intelligence and algorithmic management.

He has already presented his research at several conferences across Europe, where the topic drew strong interest.

The same was true in Svidník, where he discussed it directly with trade union leaders. They shared what unions can do about artificial intelligence and algorithmic management and how they are already addressing these issues.

Participants also signed the Svidník Declaration, their joint statement. Among other things, the declaration addresses cooperation between trade unions in the V4 countries and Ukraine and the introduction of artificial intelligence and algorithmic management in the workplace.

Many thanks to the organisers for the invitation.

🔗 Find Daryn Zholdasbay’s CELSI Research Report at: https://celsi.sk/sk/publikacie/vyskumny-clanok/stahovanie/309/how-new-policy-issues-create-opportunities-for-social-partner-participation-a-omparative-study-of-artificial-intelligence-and-algorithmic-management-in-slovakia-and-italy/

#CELSI #DarynZholdasbay #V4 #Visegrad #TradeUnions #CollectiveBargaining #SocialDialogue #ArtificialIntelligence #AlgorithmicManagement #Ukraine #ETUC