IMF Denounces Belarus’ Anti-Trade Union Policy :: Charter'97 :: News

The heads of the regional committees of the International Federation of metal-workers of CIS and Baltic states at their April 29-30 session in Moscow condemned the Belarusian authorities’ treatment of the two leading industrial trade unions, which are members of IMF.

The criticism was provoked by the statement, voiced by Alexander Lukashenko at the March 27 ideological seminar in Minsk. The head of state then demanded from the Ministry of industry Anatoly Harlap to solve the problem of the heads of the automobile trade union Alexander Bukhvostov and radio-electronic industry Gennady Fedynich, giving the Minster two months to deal with the two. According to Lukashenko, these trade unionists are opposed to the government and get their trade unions involved in politics.

BelaPAN was told by the member of the trade union’s executive committee Alexander Bukhvostov, present at the session in Moscow, that the “Belarusian issue” was raised on April 29 separately from the general region’s trade union problems. It was mentioned that before none of the CIS or Baltic state leaders made such statements concerning the heads of trade unions.