Hunger-striker Alena Zakhozhaia Taken to Polyclinic

13.11.2006.

On 10 November an ambulance took the deputy chair of the primary unit of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union Alena Zakhozhaia to a polyclinic. The woman felt unwell again on the 39^th day of her hunger-strike. Before this she talked to the director of Belshyna plant. During the conversation the director forcibly seized her mobile telephone and stated that it was prohibited to use mobile telephones on the territory of the plant. A bit later his own mobile rang and he had to return hers. But before doing this he cynically remarked that there were no witnesses that he grabbed the mobile.

Mrs Zakhozhaia had to use her mobile to call a doctor, because the ordinary telephone has been removed from her working place on the director’s order.

The trade union activist continues her hunger-strike to protest against the discrimination of members of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union. She demands from the administration of Belshyna plant to register the primary unit of the BITU and pay to its members the money that was received by other workers of the factory long ago. According to Mikhail Ustsinovich, an activist of the primary unit who has also participated in the hunger-strike of protest, the BITU members have already received a part of the money. Some of them were paid bonus wages and some received a bonus for health recovery. However, none of them were paid the whole sum.

The colleagues convince Alena Zakhozhaia to stop the hunger-strike. ‘We have done everything we could at our level. The process has started. Let the plant administration negotiate with the trade union leaders now. We ask Alena to start accepting food. We are very afraid that it can have a bad end,’ Mikhail Ustsinovich said.