Thousands of People Collected For Trade Union Protest in Salihorsk :: Charter'97 :: News

A protest meeting of the Belarusian Trade Union Federation, Independent Trade Union and Free Trade Union took place in Salihorsk at “Budaunik” stadium. The protesters filled the stadium that contains about 7 thousand people. They objected to the Ministers’ Council’s decree from December 14, 2001, that banned the order of trade union dues transfer through accounts departments of the enterprises.

Meeting at the stadium was to start at 3.30 p.m., but started 40 minutes later. Administrations of several enterprises (belonging to ‘Belaruskalij’ concern), where the first shift ends work at 3.40 p.m., ordered not to leave working places earlier, otherwise it would be considered as a day’s absence from work and punished.

Besides, mobile telephone and e-mail communications were stopped working starting from the morning. But the meeting took place.

Not only Salihorsk dwellers, but also trade union activists from other towns joined the meeting. The delegations were headed by F. Vitka, the BTF leader, chairman of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union V. Babayed, and a chairman of the Belarusian Free Trade Union, H. Bykau. The speakers protested against open interference of the government and Lukashenka’s administration to the trade unions’ affairs. For the first time both independent and traditional trade unions took part in the demonstration. The meeting ended with accepting of appeal to the Constitutional Court, sighed by 7 thousand people.