OREANDA-NEWS. October 15, 2008. In early Oct 2008 the Trade Union of Nuclear Workers of Ukraine (Atomprofsoyuz) held its 7th forum. Almost 170 activists of 17 organizations of MAMA (International Association of Young Nuclear Workers), among them representatives of Russian NPPs and youth organizations of Belarus, attended the forum. Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant was represented by the operator of the Reactor Department Nikolay Koshkarov, member of the Board of the Youth Organization of Smolensk NPP and the head of the council of search groups of Russian nuclear power plants.

The program of the forum included presentations of youth organizations as well as a meeting of the presidiums of Atomprofsoyuz and MAMA.

It was a lively and fruitful discussion. Many of the participant organizations have cooperated with one another for many years already.

Koshkarov says that one of the key events of the forum was a seminar on planning the future, making the image of a trade union, negotiating on a collective agreement.

Such forums offer a unique opportunity to young nuclear workers to exchange experience, to familiarize themselves with the experience of the trade union movement and to learn to protect the rights of laborers.

Nuclear power industry is actively developing worldwide. It has grandiose plans and it is for the youth to carry them out. In this light, it is very important to raise well-prepared and competent specialists.

The program of the forum included the 3rd contest among youth merry and quick-witted clubs of  Atomprofsoyuz. The teams of Zaporizhia, Rivno, South Ukrainian, Khmelnitsky, Chernobyl NPPs, Eastern Ore Mining and Processing Group, Chernobyl Association of Trade Unions, Specialized Medical Sanitary Unit #5 (Neteshin) took part in the contest.

 “We are really enraptured. They were so funny and cracked so many brilliant jokes,” says Koshkarov.

By uniting youths from many NPPs the nuclear power industry is gaining strength. It is for the youth to continue the traditions and to further develop nuclear technologies for the benefit of humanity. Such forums help them to exchange experience and to warn each other against possible mistakes. This is the very stronghold that makes peaceful atom really peaceful.