ILO to consider violations of rights of independent trade unions in Belarus

• 22.02.2010, 13:54

This week the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions finishes analysis of how the ILO recommendations are fulfilled by the Belarusian government.

This report is to be forwarded to the International Labour Bureau. The conclusions are unequivocal: “The situation with violations of rights of independent trade unions is not improving, is has a tendency to become worse. The situation with the Free Trade Union at Babrujsk plant of tractor details and aggregates has exacerbated. The situation at Hrodna Azot has deteriorated. Workers there experience pressure at their working places with the aim to make them leave the independent trade union. Recently I discussed this problem with deputy Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Jaap Wienen, and President of the All-European Council of International Confederation of Trade Unions, who expressed serious concern over developments of the situation with independent trade unions. We discussed common approaches to the problems, how to withstand the new surge of pressure on independent trade unions. The question of favourable coefficient to rented premises is not solved so far. It is open to doubt whether we come into the category of public associations which are cooperating with the state constructively, and whether the favourable coefficient would be preserved for us,” Alyaksandr Yarashuko noted.