Worker exodus from official trade union

• 13.01.2012, 17:02

Construction workers in Vitsebsk left the official trade union.

Construction workers from a crew of Vitsebsk-based Rural Construction Group decided to leave the official trade union and found a primary organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union. The number of workers dissatisfied with their employers seems to be growing in the country every day.

The reaction of firm managers was pressure on all workers in the crew, not only those who applied to leave the organization in the structure of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus.

“Eight people walked out,” a construction worker from Vitsebsk, Alyaksandr Koshalyou, told Salidarnasts. “Bosses began to play dirty. The whole crew has suffered. They changed the work schedule and threaten to count every break and pay only for seven out of eight working hours.”

According to the source, everyone has own ground to leave the official trade union. Some workers do not feel they are protected, others are not satisfied with the number of events organized by the trade union or does not see results of trade union’s activity.

“We want the trade union to protect our rights. New year’s presents for children and tickets to Slavonic Bazaar festival are not enough,” Alyaksandr Kashalyou explained.

Despite pressure from the firm, Kashalyou is determined to go all the way. He holds consultations on forming a primary organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union.

Worker exodus from official trade union and attempts to protect their right seem to be spreading across the country. We remind that some hundreds of workers of Granit company (Mikashevichy, the Brest region) applied for leaving the trade union in December. They were displeased with their salaries and attitude of the company authorities towards them. The workers decided to form a primary organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union and applied to the general director asking to give them a legal seat.

In Mahilyou, a crew of bricklayers showed working solidarity. After Promzhylstroi construction firm announced a labour contract with bricklayer Alyaksei Paulouski would not be prolonged, the whole crew of 15 workers applied for termination of the contracts.

Besides, the crew applied for leaving the official trade union.