Independent trade union association stages demonstrations in Minsk :: Charter'97 :: News

Two demonstrations were staged in Minsk on April 13 by the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU) in protest against a controversial cabinet directive that evened the First-Class Worker Rate with the Subsistence Minimum Budget, curbing wage increases.

One protest took place on Bangalore Square and the other one on Vaneyeva Street near the Traktor Stadium.

In an interview with BelaPAN, BCDTU leader Aleksandr Yaroshuk said that the authorities had started taking a Soviet-era approach to pay matters.

“Instead of bringing wages to high levels, they take measures to establish a pay ceiling for those who receive relatively decent pay in our country, for instance employees of petrochemical enterprises, where there are our cells. It is clear that if the practice persists, the authorities will have to push for equal pay for everybody in the country to tackle tensions,” he said.

According to Mr. Yaroshuk, the BCDTU considers acceding to an appeal by the pro-government Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus to the cabinet to revise the directive. “The Federation’s decision to appeal to the cabinet is very encouraging for us. I believe that this gives grounds to hope that the directive will be annulled,” he said.