Independent Trade Union of Miners applies for permission to rally against removal of preferences :: Charter'97 :: News

The Independent Trade Union of Miners has applied to authorities in Salihorsk, Minsk region, for permission to stage a rally against the coming removal of preferences to workers in dangerous jobs.

The union said in the application that no more than 10 people would take part. Participants would collect signatures to a petition against the abolition of preferences.

Henadz Ramanyuk, a member of the union’s executive board, told BelaPAN that the authorities would not allow a rally of a larger scale.

From January 1, 2008, the government is to abolish higher pensions for workers in dangerous jobs and reduce the duration of annual paid leave for them from 56 to 40 days under amendments to the law governing pension payments.

The Independent Trade Union of Miners wants to stage the rally on October 2, the beginning of the national legislature’s fall session.

Mr. Ramanyuk recalled that the Salihorsk City Executive Committee had rejected its two applications for rallies earlier this year, citing a flu outbreak in one instance and a lack of competence in the other.

On September 9, the mining staff of the Salihorsk-based Belaruskaly potash fertilizer giant went on a 24-hour strike against the removal of the preferences.