Salihorsk miners not allowed to visit hunger strikers at Mozyr refinery

Leaders of a primary organisation of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU) have been on hunger strike for the third day.

They protest against discrimination of trade union activists. The management of the Mozyr oil refinery interprets the desperate step by the trade union activists in its own way, Salidarnasts reports.

On October 16, BITU leader Mikalai Zimin and miners from Salihorsk came to support Yury Shvets and Vasily Alkhouski, the chairman and the deputy chairman of the BITU primary organisation at the Mozyr refinery.

“We had to talk to our colleagues in the street,” Yury Shavets said. “The refinery authorities refused to allow them to enter the plant.”

The pass office referred to an order of the plant management.

Deputy general director Henadz Tsetsiaruk said to Yury Shvets that he didn't give such instructions. The chief security officer explained that deputy director responsible for administration Uladzimir Balalayeu forbade to allow BITU activists to the plant.

”Balalayeu confirmed they wouldn't receive passes. I asked why and he answered it was because of our behavior,” Shvets said.

Yury Shvets stressed that their protest is not just a reaction to firing five activists that happened lately.

“It was the last straw. The main reason is that they deliberately destroy the independent trade union and discriminate its members,” he says. Nevertheless, the hunger strikers hope for a dialogue with the management.