No registration for independent trade union

14.10.2008. Tags: trade unions, workers' rights.
Source: RFE/RL.

On 13 October Rechytsa district court rejected the suit of the independent Belarusian trade union of radio-electronic industry (BTUREI) against the refusal of Rechytsa district executive committee to give state registration to a district primary unit of the trade union.

The judge Anatol Strelchanka who tried the case, referred the refusal by a violation of the rules for establishment of a primary unit of a trade union.

The judge concluded because as a result of questioning of the members of the primary unit it was found that not all of them remembered whether they had voted openly or secretly for the establishment of the primary unit last year. Besides, in the documents for the establishment of the primary unit there is a mistake: the patronymic name of one of the members is wrong.

Besides, the court is of the opinion that representatives of different professions could not constitute a territorial unit of a trade union because of absence of common labor interests.

The head of the BTUREI Henadz Fiadynich thusly commented on the verdict: ‘The actions of Rechytsa district executive committee and the court are aimed at restricting the people’s initiative to establish the trade unions as they need. It is a violation of the Constitution and the ILO Convention on freedom of association that has been ratified by the Belarusian government. One can’t treat it in any other way. It demonstrates the reluctance of the authorities to let independent trade unions work on their territory.’

Rechytsa territorial unit of the Belarusian trade union of radio-electronic industry was established in 2007. The trade union twice applied to the executive committee for getting the official registration of its primary unit there. However, the executive committee refused to register the unit explaining it with existence of another organization of the independent trade union at the Rhythm factory.

Now BITUREI intends to appeal against the court verdict at a higher court instance.