Teachers Protest Poverty and Anti-Trade Union Policies :: Charter'97 :: News

The protest rally of teachers and activists of the educational trade union against the arbitrariness of the Belarusian authorities took place earlier today in Minsk. Around 100 people with raised banners in hands came to the Bangalor square of Minsk to express their utter discontent over the December decision of the Belarusian Cabinet, which forbade the centralized transfer of trade union dues, as well as over the labor conditions, imposed on teachers. As claimed by the assembled protesters, the official anti-trade union actions are caused by unfavorable tendencies in the national economy, owing to which the year 2002 will witness an escalation of social tensions.

Председатель республиканского комитета профсоюза образования Тамара Чоботова, кChairman of the republic’ committee of the educational trade union Tamara Chebotareva, commenting to the IA “Rosbalt” correspondent on the purpose of today’s rally, said that the authorities’ indebtedness before the schoolteachers reaches astronomic heights – 17bln Belarusian rubles.