Miners Will Protest in Minsk Against Heavy Taxation :: Charter'97 :: News

Representatives of the organization of the Independent trade union of miners of the Soligorsk company “Belaruskaliy” will go on a picket in Minsk on November 16. The action, sanctioned by the authorities, will take place in the “Dryzhby Narodov” park at 10-13 o’clock. The miners intend to call on the authorities to stop levying taxes on the severance pays, which are paid out to the worker following his dismissal from job, reports BelaPAN.

Around a month ago leaders of two trade union organizations, operating at the “Belaruskaliy” – the Belarusian trade union of workers of the petroleum industry and the Independent trade union of miners – forwarded a written appeal to the deputies of the “house of representatives”. On behalf of the 20-thousand strong personnel of “Belaruskaliy” – one of the country’s leading exporters, they urged parliamentarians to “veto anti-constitutional amendments into the Labor Code.”

What they meant were changes into the income tax, levied from individuals, which were ratified on June 25, 2001. These changes envisage the payment of an income tax from severance pays, which exceed the minimal guaranteed size of these allowances.

“For the first time in the history of our country, - reads the open address: there has been changed the law, prohibiting the levying of income tax on the severance pay.” The trade unionists likewise mentioned that the adopted amendments contradict the Labor and Civil codes, as well as the “election platform of the president, targeted at the improvement of the citizens’ welfare.” As far as there was no official response on behalf of the deputies, the miners determined to draw the public’s attention to these issues through holding the action of protest in the capital.