Palimir management exerts pressure on trade union members

30.05.2007.

Management of Open Joint Stock Company “Palimir” exerts rigid pressure on members of primary trade union organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU). As Ivan Svyatoho, Chairperson of the organization said, after he has refused to sign the statement offered by the Federation of Trade Union of Belarus, which requests maintaining trade preferences to the Government of Belarus, the management decided to approach rank-and-file members. Chiefs of production shops, threaten with non-extension of employment contracts and other measures of influence, force BITU activists to sign the appeal to the ILO and the European Union. The appeal says that all violations of trade union rights that may result in depriving the Government of trade preferences are far-fetched and nobody exerts any pressure on trade unions. According to Ivan Svyatoho, the campaign is managed by the deputy Director on personnel, regime and educational work Sergey Brikun. On 30 May trade union activists organized a meeting to discuss the problem. Ivan Svyatoho says “At present people stand firm, but I do not know what would happen in the future, we are lucky to have very strong people, who state: “We are not going to sign this blotter!” But there are also those who are afraid. And, certainly, I find it difficult to condemn them, because all of them have families and children. Already for half a year we have been subjected to regular pressure. However, it had not been that open as it is now!” Ivan Svyatoho is surprised that the “Palimir” management decided to resort to such actions on the eve of discussion of the Belarusian issue at the International Labor Conference. In fact it is known that enforcement of the decision of the European Union to revoke trade preferences for Belarus in many respects depends on what conclusion would be made by the ILO. After such actions of management of Open Joint Stock Company “Palimir” the Belarusian Government would find it will be very difficult to prove to the ILO Conference delegates that there are no violations of trade union rights in the country. The BITU appeals to all trade union organizations to express solidarity and to direct letters of protest against actions of management to the Director General of the Open Joint Stock Company “Palimir” Alexander Leonidovich Shamashov via fax: +375 214 52 88 21
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