Violations of trade union rights in Belarus on agenda of International Labor Organization`s meeting

The Conference Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO) will look at violations of trade union rights in Belarus at a meeting to take place in Geneva between June 4 and 9.

The Committee will hold the meeting as part of the 101st session of the International Labor Conference of the ILO.

The Belarus issue has already been placed on its agenda, Alyaksandr Yarashuk, chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU), told BelaPAN.

“Reports of violations of trade union rights and rights of our activists have literally been showering in ahead of the Conference’s session,” said Mr. Yarashuk. “All of them will surely be discussed during the debate on the Belarus issue.”

Among them, Mr. Yarashuk mentioned the denial of registration to a grass-roots organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union at crushed stone mining company RUVP Hranit in Mikashevichy, as well as the dismissal of Aleh Stakhayevich, leader of the nascent organization, and Lyudmila Litvinenka, wife of a trade union activist, who were fired following the establishment of the organization.

He also mentioned pressure placed on activists of independent trade unions at various enterprises. 
“The authorities are trying to act proactively to fence themselves against possible disputes with workers over the social and economic situation by denying them an opportunity to unite for the cause of defending their interests,” said Mr. Yarashuk.

Officials of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, as well as representatives of Belarusian employers also will traditionally be invited to the Committee’s meeting to submit their reports. The BCDTU will send its report on violations of trade union rights in Belarus to the Committee ahead of the meeting, according to Mr. Yarashuk.