The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: trade unions

23.12.2009 Court takes side of fired trade union leader

The Belarusian Congress of Pro-Democratic Trade Unions (BCPDTD) succeeds in protecting one of its members and leader of Lukoml GRES Power Plant independent trade union leader Aliaksei Habryel, fired by the employer for his civil activity on 30 September.

26.11.2009 Brest prosecutor’s office to close down local independent trade union

Brest city authorities, together with Brest city prosecutor’s office, are going to close down the local office of the Free Belarusian Trade Union at Brest State University, Euroradio reports, quoting the trade union’s leader Valiantsin Lazarenkau. According to Mr. Lazarenkau, he has been summoned to the local prosecutor’s office and ordered to provide a list of the organization’s members. Since 2005, over 30 members of the trade union have been forced to leave their jobs after their working contracts had been cancelled.

25.11.2009 Independent trade union activists arrested at BelAZ

On 24 November several members of the independent trade union of radio-electronic industry were detained at the entrance to the BelAZ truck factory in Zhodzina, Minsk region, as they were distributing leaflets in support of their co-activist Yury Loban, fired by the factory administration on 24 November. According to the information available, the activists were taken to the local police department.

19.11.2009 Alyaksandr Yarashuk: “Violations of trade unions rights in Belarus have mass, systematic, malicious character”

Independent trade unions are convinced tat the EU won’t return trade preferences to Belarus without consent of the International Labour Organisation.

During the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Brussels, the chairman of the Belarusian Trade Unions Federation Leanid Kozik offered to lift by the EU economic limitations for Eastern Partnership countries. To a much degree he meant return of trade preferences for Belarus.

05.11.2009 Independent trade unions go to the law

The Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions filed an unprecedented lawsuit on the elimination of adverse discrimination of members of independent trade unions in the sphere of labor relations.

08.10.2009 Rally of trade union activists in Minsk

Activists of the Democratic Trade Unions Congress held a rally dedicated to the World Day of Struggle for Decent Labor in the 50-hoddzia Kastrychika Park.

03.08.2009 New instruction of Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus restricts rights of independent trade unions

The presidium of the Council of Trade Union Federation of Belarus adopted an Instruction on order of development, adopting and signing the collective contract.

21.05.2009 Court demands data on trade union activists

According to www.gazetaby.com, Homel Tsentralny Court asks for detailed information on the participants of the constituent congress of the Radio-Electronic Industry Independent Trade Union’s local office, as part of the hearings concerning the refusal to register the organization by local authorities. Judge Shytsikau requires that the activists provide information on the occupation, both current and former, certified by authoritative references. According to the organization’s head Henadz Fiadynich, it is the first time the Belarusian judiciary demands similar data. ‘Courts can inquire about any kind of information, but why examine them through a magnifying glass?’ says the trade union leader.

20.05.2009 Independent trade union leader demands reinstatement of fired workers

Mikalai Kanakh, vice-head of the Belarusian Congress of Pro-Dem Trade Unions, says financial assistance to the fired trade union activists is not an adequate remedy to implement the recommendations by the International Labour Organizations, demanding their full reinstatement. At the same time, the trade union leader welcomes the willingness of the government to establish relationships with the independent trade unions and continue cooperating with the ILO. However, Mr.Kanakh is sure no compensation could repair the enormous damage to the Belarusian independent trade union movement caused by the authorities over the past decade.

18.05.2009 Belarusian authorities ignore recommendations by ILO

According to www.regionby.org, the National Council for the Improvement of Social and Labour Legislation has refused to reinstate 5 fired workers, engaged in independent trade union movement, despite the repeated recommendations by the International Labour Organization. Instead, the workers were offered various kinds of compensation. According to an independent trade union leader Vadzim Dukhamenka, ‘no partial compensations would be considered as the implementation of the recommendations by the ILO.’ ‘The government want to solve the problem of the ILO recommendations by petty sops, instead of reinstating the activists in their jobs. As a result, this impedes with the independent trade unions’ regular activities,’ says trade union activist Mikalai Sharakh.

23.04.2009 Mahiliou Court turns down claim by independent trade union

On 22 April Mahiliou Leninski Court turned down the claim by the independent trade union of radioelectronic industry against the illegal refusal to register the trade union’s local office by Mahiliou city authorities. The decision was based on the unanimity of the fonders’ occupations. During the trial the trade union’s legal inspector Aliaksandr Karaliou called the decision by the authorities a politically motivated one and demanded that the court reversed it, since it violated the Belarusian legislation and a number of international treaties ratified by Belarus.

01.04.2009 Authorities ban pickets of trade union activists

Hrodna authorities turned down the application of the trade union of radio-electronic industry (TUREI) on sanctioning their picket scheduled for 3 April. The aim of the picket was to express solidarity with the trade union activists in Mahiliou and Homel, where the authorities have many times refused to register the primary units of the trade unions.

13.03.2009 Authorities refuse to register primary units of independent trade unions

The leaders of the Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry stated that they would hold a series of protest actions on 3 April in different cities and towns of Belarus with the aim to draw public attention to non-registration of the primary units of trade unions by the authorities.

21.01.2009 Visiting secretary general of International Trade Union Confederation meets with Belarusian unionists

Guy Rider, secretary general of the International Trade Union Confederation, met with representatives of the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus and two independent trade unions in Minsk on Tuesday.

The meeting focused on the need for unity among the country's trade unions, Yaraslaw Yarashuk, chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Trade Unions, told BelaPAN.