The staff of the water utility have spoken out against the new director and the actions of the supervisory board

Staff of Mykolaivvodokanal during a seminar on 10 December. Some staff members have already resigned. Photo: Mykolaivvodokanal Municipal Enterprise Facebook page

Staff at the municipal utility «Mykolaivvodokanal» are preparing a petition to the Mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, demanding the dismissal of the newly appointed director, Hennadii Iziumov.

This came to light during a meeting between the staff and the new CEO on 15 April, an audio recording of which is in the possession of the editorial team at NikVesti.

According to Hennadii Iziumov, an imbalance has developed within the company between administrative and operational staff, and some functions are duplicated. He noted that the management structure has become more complex over time, which, in his view, affects the effectiveness of communication.

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However, the company’s employees disagree with his plans to downsize the administrative apparatus. The workforce believes this could paralyse the work of emergency repair teams.

In his arguments, the new manager compared the structure with the staffing table prior to 2010. According to him, the number of managers has increased by 15 posts, leading to a duplication of functions.

«We have a very bloated administrative staff. There is a duplication of functions. If you look at the ratio of supervisors and administrative staff to the number of workers, there is a clear imbalance. Because of this, information takes too long to reach you,» said Hennadii Iziumov.

As an example, he cited the experience of Mariupol, where, with a similar number of networks, the management structure was significantly simpler. He stated that he wants to introduce a similar model in Mykolaiv — with direct communication between foremen, district managers and the director.

«We will implement this format. Foremen and district managers will report directly to me in my office, telling me what they are doing and what they need. Because when there is a layer of 15 managers, information often gets distorted. It’s like a game of Chinese whispers: I say one thing, but something completely different reaches you,» he noted.

At the same time, the director assured that this is solely about reducing the administrative apparatus, not the work crews.

«There is a technical directorate which will now review the work of each department and make a decision. There is absolutely no question of any reorganisation or reduction in workstations. That is not the issue here at all. We are talking only about administrative staff,» he said.

However, employees of Mykolaivvodokanal have spoken out against such approaches. They insist that the current management system is clear and effective for carrying out daily tasks. It is precisely the managers and foremen who coordinate the work of the teams in real time: they prioritise tasks, allocate equipment and respond to emergencies.

«We have a manager. We’re used to her; she coordinates us. We arrive in the morning and she tells us what to do: where to go, what equipment to take,» the employees explained.

Some of the team also expressed criticism regarding the new management approaches and roles. According to the workers, «technical directors» are «made-up professions» that have no real influence on the production process. They emphasised that department heads perform important production functions, not just administrative ones.

«Completely different responsibilities. You don’t quite understand, Hennadii Ivanovych, unfortunately. If you had this in Mariupol, it doesn’t mean it was great there. We have clear coordination of work,» noted one of the employees.

During the discussion, a dispute also arose regarding the organisation of work at the sites, particularly cleaning up after excavations. The workers stated that they carry out this work after completing their main tasks, whilst the manager insisted on immediate clean-up.

«If you’ve dumped soil onto the road, you’re obliged to clear it up,» stated Iziumov.

«That’s work; we’ll clear it up later. When we’re finished,» the workers replied.

The conflict then escalated when the workers accused the director of giving contradictory instructions.

«Remember what you said in the director’s office… You can dump rubbish if there’s no equipment… You’re looking me in the eye and lying. That’s not right,» said one of those present.

In response, the director announced his intention to introduce work flow charts. As an example of problems in organising processes, he cited the situation on Poranychna Street (formerly Chyhryna Street), where a pile of soil was left behind after the work, which had been washed away by water. According to the director, such cases indicate a lack of proper coordination between teams.

The workers, however, explained that they are not always able to clear up immediately after excavation due to a lack of equipment or the nature of the work.

During the meeting, issues of work safety and liability were also raised.

«Who is responsible for the safety of the teams? Who will go to prison if, God forbid, something happens?» asked one of the workers.

Furthermore, the staff emphasised that it is the production workers who ensure the stable operation of the enterprise, particularly during the war.

«It’s us; the water utility operates thanks to us… When the war began, we stayed and kept working,» said one of them.

Company employees. Photo: Facebook page of Mykolaivvodokanal

The workers complained of low wages, a lack of career progression, and a shortage of tools and protective clothing. According to them, employees can work for years in the same grade on a salary of around 12,000 hryvnias, whilst having to buy some of their tools out of their own pockets.

«We work here — in the mud — for 12,000 hryvnias. In winter, the vehicles aren’t heated, so we burn cardboard to keep warm. People get sick as a result. No wages, no job grades, no tools, no proper workwear. We buy materials with our own money,» added a water utility worker.

In response, Hennadii Iziumov promised to change the approach to equipping the teams and stated that by the end of the month a list of necessary tools would be drawn up, which would be issued to workers on a personal responsibility basis. According to preliminary estimates, at least 1.5 million hryvnias must already be allocated for the purchase of tools.

During the meeting, the issue of the dismissal of the company’s technical director, Vasyl Telpis, who had worked at the water utility since the 1980s and had been acting as manager following the death of Borys Dudenko, was also raised.

«Everyone came in wanting to do better. But it came as a shock to us when, after you arrived, Telpis was dismissed — a man who had effectively built this water utility over decades,» he noted.

This refers to Vasyl Telpis, who had worked at the company since 1985 and had been acting as head following the death of CEO Borys Dudenko. Previously, NikVesti reported that Vasyl Telpis had submitted his resignation on 3 April, having worked at the water utility for over 40 years.

In response, Hennadii Iziumov stated that he had not made the decision to dismiss him.

«I didn’t dismiss him. He was dismissed by the Supervisory Board. I am accountable to the Supervisory Board,» he said.

However, the staff questioned this and accused the manager of insincerity.

«You said: «You’re resigning». And if not, the post would be cut. Those were your words. There’s no need to say anything else now. Why are you lying?» replied one of the employees.

Vasyl Telpis and Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych during the construction of a culvert in the Solyani neighbourhood. Photo courtesy of Mykolaivvodokanal’s press service

By the end of the meeting, the parties had still not reached an agreement regarding the future of certain positions, in particular that of the head of the water supply network. The workers asked whether this position would be retained, but Hennadii Iziumov replied that employees could «move to other positions», and that the structure itself was already changing.

«We have issued an order; the post has been abolished,» he noted.

This provoked a sharp reaction from the staff. The workers insisted that eliminating this management link would destroy the well-established system of work.

«With your actions, you are destroying everything that has been built up over the years. If everything is concentrated in the hands of a single manager, the system will simply grind to a halt,» they declared.

The head of the water supply network emphasised that her work is part of the production process, not an administrative function.

«I am not part of the administrative staff. I have my own tasks, which you do not yet understand,» she said.

The staff put forward their demands: to retain the position of head of the water supply network, and to review salaries and job grades. Otherwise, the workers threatened not to turn up for work.

«It’s like cutting off the head from the body. You’re undermining the very foundations,» said one of the workers.

The meeting ended without a resolution. Some of the staff claimed that management had failed to answer key questions.

The Supervisory Board of the water utility

The Supervisory Board of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivvodokanal» is a collegial body that exercises strategic control over the enterprise’s activities, approves key management decisions and financial plans, and evaluates the performance of the management. It does not interfere in operational activities, influences the appointment and evaluation of the director, but will not dismiss or hire staff at other levels.

The decision to establish supervisory boards in Mykolaiv’s municipal enterprises was adopted in 2024 as part of corporate governance reform. «Mykolaivvodokanal» became the first municipal enterprise in the city to begin forming such a body.

Yuliia Mincheva, an external adviser to the Mayor of Mykolaiv, noted that supervisory boards would nevertheless be a governing body, rather than an advisory one, with responsibility for the decisions taken. They will bear both legal and financial responsibility for their actions.

In January 2025, a competition was announced to select independent members, and on 29 May 2025, the city council approved the board’s first composition.

The supervisory board of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivvodokanal» comprises five members, including:

1. Andrii Haidutskyi (Ukraine), Doctor of Economics, Master of International Economic Relations (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv) and MBA specialising in strategy and corporate governance (KDI School, South Korea).

2. Andrii Yefimov (Ukraine), Master of Banking, with over 20 years of professional experience in finance, risk management and corporate governance.

3. Serhii Shkliar (Ukraine), Doctor of Law, specialist in international law (Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv) and business economics.

4. Bjørn Kaare Jensen (Denmark), a European expert in water resource management with nearly 40 years of professional and executive experience.

5. Hanna Montavon (Ukraine), founder and director of Mykolaiv Water Hub, a lawyer with international experience, specialising in water infrastructure, public-private partnerships and legal support for municipal development.

Following the initial survey results, Supervisory Board Chair Hanna Montavon promised to listen to people and respond to their complaints. Screenshot: Facebook page of Mykolaivvodokanal

On 9 March, the Supervisory Board announced that it had conducted the first survey of the company’s employees, and the results showed that the majority of staff «remain loyal to the company». The press release also highlighted a high level of trust in the company as an employer.

«The Supervisory Board views this survey as the first step towards fostering a more open management culture within the company, where employees’ opinions are an important part of the development and modernisation of «Mykolaivvodokanal»,» the statement noted.

Water utility gets new head: what is known about Iziumov

At the end of January 2026, a new general director of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivvodokanal» was appointed in Mykolaiv. The post was taken up by Hennadii Iziumov — former head and chief engineer of water supply construction projects at the municipal enterprise «Mariupolvodokanal».

His appointment followed a competition in which 19 candidates took part. Prior to this, the company was headed by Borys Dudenko, who had managed the water utility since 2016 and died on 15 October 2025 following a long illness.

During the selection process, Hennadii Iziumov presented a plan for his first 100 days, which included assessing the company’s current state, stabilising operational processes, strengthening management discipline, establishing cooperation with the supervisory board and the city authorities, and preparing a medium-term development strategy.

Also in February, a list of performance indicators was approved for the «Mykolaivvodokanal» company, against which the company’s performance will be assessed in future.