Belaruskali Miners To Take Action of Protest

Independent trade union of the “Belaruskali” unitary enterprise applied to Salihorsk city executive committee for permission to hold a picket on 14 March in support of their demands. According to the Trade Unions’ Movement in Belarus, the independent union calls for increase of wages of enrichment factories staff and for solving housing problems of the staff. The trade union also intends to protest against a provision of the pension bill envisaging the annulment of pension benefits to the staff.

According to Mikalai Novik, the bill is to be considered by the parliament in May. In case the bill is adopted without changes people of a retirement age, who have been working under detrimental working conditions, will suffer. They will not get their pension benefits. It will make a serious blow on the people who have been working for many years under conditions harmful to their health for the benefit of the enterprise and the country in general. The independent trade union hopes to gather about a thousand of its supporters for the picket.

“We shall hold an information campaign among the Belaruskali staff, explain the goald of the picket. I hope for people’s support. We tried and not once to solve the problems by means of negotiations with the administration and upper management of the company but all in vain”, says Mikalai Novik.