Konstantin Trenchev, founder of Bulgaria’s Podkrepa labour confederation, dies
Dr. Konstantin Trenchev, founder and honorary president of the Podkrepa labour confederation, has died at the age of 71 after a short illness, Podkrepa said on November 6.
“There are individuals whose names remain inextricably linked to a certain historical era,” Podkrepa said.
“For the Bulgarian independent trade union movement and the democratic changes after 1989, this name is Dr. Konstantin Trenchev.”
A doctor by profession, a public figure, a dissident by conviction and a leader by vocation, Trenchev was the man who, in 1989, laid the foundation for the first independent trade union in Bulgaria – Podkrepa, the statement said.
At a time when free association was impossible and the protection of human and labour rights was subordinated to state power, he chose the most difficult path – to oppose the system and give hope that free trade unionism was possible, it said.
The creation of Podkrepa was not simply the establishment of a new organisation, the labour confederation said. “It is an act of civic courage and protection of the dignity of Bulgarian workers”.
Because of this activity, Dr. Trenchev was subjected to repression, was arrested and spent several months as a political prisoner.
“Instead of being crushed, he became one of the symbols of the struggle for democracy, freedom of speech and the right to independent trade union association.”
After the fall of the communist regime, he became one of the founders of the Union of Democratic Forces and participated in the processes of democratic transition in the country, including in the National Round Table between the ruling party and the opposition.
After the democratic changes, Trenchev devoted more than a quarter of a century to building Podkrepa.
Thanks to his efforts, Podkrepa became the first Bulgarian trade union organisation accepted into the international and European trade union family.
He was the first Bulgarian elected as Vice-President of the European Trade Union Confederation, as well as as Vice-President of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions – “a recognition not only of his personal authority, but also of Bulgaria’s place in the European social dialogue”.
In 2015, after 26 years at the helm of Podkrepa, he handed over the leadership to the next generation of trade union leaders and was elected honorary president of the confederation – recognition for his exceptional contribution to the development of the organization and the Bulgarian trade union movement, Podkrepa said.
(Photos via the Podkrepa website)
