08.06.2011 Smaliavichy: detention of trade union activist Mikalai Pakhabau

At about 10 a.m. Mikalai Pakhabau, Chair of the Barysau town organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry, was stopped by the road police near the town of Smaliavichy.

28.04.2011 Barysau authorities ban May Day picket

On 27 April, Barysau trade union activist Mikalai Pakhabau received a reply from local authorities denying permission for holding a picket on International Labour Solidarity Day – May 1.

15.09.2010 Democratic trade unions not invited to elaboration of general agreement with government

The Congress of the democratic trade unions hasn’t been informed so far about the work on the General Agreement between the government, employer associations and trade unions.

02.09.2010 Ministry of Justice afraid of solidarity fund

The trade union was warned that it can face troubles because of the establishment of the fund of solidarity. The decision about the establishment of the fund for giving financial support to participants of strikes was taken by the Council of the Trade Union on the initiative of the trade union organization of the Lios factory situated in the town of Baran (the Vitsebsk region).

12.08.2010 Brest police say arrest of trade union leader Chaikouski was legal

Viktar Chaikouski, deputy chair of civil association ‘Perspektyva’ and member of the Free Belarusian Trade Union, received a reply from Brest city transport police department concerning his detention at the city’s railway station back on 19 July, Radio Racyja reports.

11.08.2010 Belarusian trade union divested a right for legal protest

Salihorsk district executive committee has prohibited for the Belarusian Independent Trade Union holding a picket against violation of trade union members’ rights planned on August 14.

20.07.2010 Belarusian Association of Journalists and editors of socio-political newspapers express support to 'Salidarnasts'

19 July editors of the leading independent media of Belarus made a joint statement to support the Salidarnasts (www.gazetaby.com) independent online publication that is pressurized by trade union officials.

06.07.2010 Trade union is expelled from plant

The administration of the Babruisk plant of tractor details and aggregates issued the ruling about the forced eviction of the local organization of the Free Trade Union of Belarus from its office. The order was signed by Piatro Slabadchuk, Deputy Chairperson on ideological work. The necessity of the eviction is motivated by ‘productive necessity’. The trade union considers the order unlawful and intends to go to the law.

10.06.2010 Belarus is denied EU trade preferences again

Implementation of recommendations of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on securing freedom of trade unions in Belarus was discussed at the Labor Conference in Geneva on 9 June.

22.03.2010 Supreme Court rules in favour of Ministry of Justice

The Supreme Court of Belarus dismissed the claim by the ‘Razam’ independent trade union against the Ministry of Justice, which refused the Union state registration, Radio Racyja reports quoting the organization’s chair Iryna Yaskevich. In her verdict, Judge Larysa Filimanikhina claimed that one of the claimants Mikalai Kaniukh had been illegally elected and therefore had no legal authority to sign the claim.

23.12.2009 Court takes side of fired trade union leader

The Belarusian Congress of Pro-Democratic Trade Unions (BCPDTD) succeeds in protecting one of its members and leader of Lukoml GRES Power Plant independent trade union leader Aliaksei Habryel, fired by the employer for his civil activity on 30 September.

26.11.2009 Brest prosecutor’s office to close down local independent trade union

Brest city authorities, together with Brest city prosecutor’s office, are going to close down the local office of the Free Belarusian Trade Union at Brest State University, Euroradio reports, quoting the trade union’s leader Valiantsin Lazarenkau. According to Mr. Lazarenkau, he has been summoned to the local prosecutor’s office and ordered to provide a list of the organization’s members. Since 2005, over 30 members of the trade union have been forced to leave their jobs after their working contracts had been cancelled.

25.11.2009 Independent trade union activists arrested at BelAZ

On 24 November several members of the independent trade union of radio-electronic industry were detained at the entrance to the BelAZ truck factory in Zhodzina, Minsk region, as they were distributing leaflets in support of their co-activist Yury Loban, fired by the factory administration on 24 November. According to the information available, the activists were taken to the local police department.

19.11.2009 Alyaksandr Yarashuk: “Violations of trade unions rights in Belarus have mass, systematic, malicious character”

Independent trade unions are convinced tat the EU won’t return trade preferences to Belarus without consent of the International Labour Organisation.

During the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Brussels, the chairman of the Belarusian Trade Unions Federation Leanid Kozik offered to lift by the EU economic limitations for Eastern Partnership countries. To a much degree he meant return of trade preferences for Belarus.

05.11.2009 Independent trade unions go to the law

The Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions filed an unprecedented lawsuit on the elimination of adverse discrimination of members of independent trade unions in the sphere of labor relations.