Builders And Miners Rebelled Against Belarusian Authorities

People have organized a real rally to support the creation of an independent trade union.

Salihorsk builders and miners are struggling with local authorities. They organized a rally to support the creation of an independent trade union in one of the building trusts. And they invited Belsat so that as many people as possible knew about the situation.

Banned flags, the greeting of “Long live Belarus!” and the call for labor solidarity amid plain-clothes policemen. Salihorsk builders, miners and other working people held a protest to force the local authorities to the dialogue:

“We seek justice, so that we have more attention.”

“I am familiar with the guys and came to support them so that they can take part in collective bargaining, so that they can defend the rights of workers.”

Employees of the Remmantazhstroi construction trust, which previously belonged to Belaruskali, are trying to defend their rights legally.

“This is one of the enterprises that have been outsourced as a separate legal entity. And those union members who were in the ITUM (Independent Trade Union of Miners) were supposed to hold a constituent assembly and register the primary organization with local authorities,” – Siarhei Charkasau, the chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Belaruskali, says.

Having left Belaruskali, four hundred former members of the Independent Trade Union of Miners tried to register the primary trade union organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union twice: they gathered the constituent assembly under the protocol, submitted the relevant documents.

“The Labor Code talks about social cooperation that aims us to cooperate and work together. But the Salihorsk authorities do not register our organization,” – the chairman of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union Mikalai Zimin says.

The workers of Remmantazhstroi say that the chairman of the Salihorsk district executive committee, Aleh Paskrabko, not only refused to register them, but also refused to explain his decision according to the law. The actions of the officials are called by the protesters a violation of the Constitution and the Convention of the International Labor Organization No. 87, which Belarus signed.

“We turned to international structures, to our Congress (trade unions), to independent media – to you,” – Siarhei Charkasau, the chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Belaruskali, says.

As a result, not only Belarusian trade unions, but also, among others, Walter Sanchez, the secretary general of the IndustriALL World Federation of Trade Unions, paid attention to Salihorsk.

“Walter Sanchez addressed directly to the chairman of the Salihorsk district executive committee, Aleh Paskrabko, and to Aliaksandr Lukashenka,” – chairman of the Belarusian independent trade union Mikalai Zimin comments.

The local authorities didn’t allow the workers to hold a march, only allowed a picket at the stadium on the outskirts of the city. But, despite the large number of police officers and searches of participants, the people organized a real rally.