Belarus: Those who do not surrender or sold
We met with fellow Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BNP). Soligorsk is located in the south of Minsk Province, where large mines potassium salt are localized to export. Its underground galleries are also used for medicinal purposes (espeleo therapy).
In this city the headquarters of BNP integrating mining is, chemicals, oil, energy, carriers, builders and other workers. We traveled there to talk with peers who already knew and with new leaders. We received friendly, We had tea and talked for several hours.
Changes in labor relations represent their first concern. In July the House of Representatives of the National Assembly amended the Labor Code. In legal terms "It incorporated the provisions of Decree No. 29 on the transfer of employees to fixed-term employment contracts and Decree No. 5 excessive punishment on employees and expanding the grounds for dismissal. "
Changes in labor relations represent their first concern.
It was an “Update Without Improvement” to which Maxim Poznyakov, BNP chairman, present at the meeting, had already referred: “…Belarus has become a country of temporary employment. The system of universal short-term employment contracts, which is now enshrined in the Labor Code, does not provide people with guarantees for permanent and stable work, what it takes, first, young workers to emigrate in search of a better life. On the other hand, a person can become a hostage to a contract of 5 years and will be forced to continue it until the end if the employer is against the termination of the employment contract by agreement of the parties, even if the employee wants to resign! So, What type of flexible and effective employment are we talking about??
With the modifications promoted by the government, The employer will also be able to fire more easily and apply more severe disciplinary punishments.. It's not an unfamiliar scenario as in Europe and Latin America "modernization" of labor relations is always unfavorable for workers.
Another prominent theme in the Union are measures to prevent bureaucratization, such as limiting the salaries of leaders, even below what they would earn in their jobs. Peers know that there is no alternative own policy of workers. It is a pending task after 25 years of a government with dictatorial characteristics, whose story they recounted synthetically.
Aleksander Lukashenko, a former Stalinist soldier turned independent, assumed the presidency in 1994. At 95 There was a fight by Metro workers for a salary increase that was defeated. From the change in the correlation of forces, The government's counteroffensive advanced union by union.
In the year 2002 Lukashenko handpicked the leaders of the Federation and introduced the figure of the “ideological tutor” to impose their policies through fear and/or clientelism. Then the organization stopped referring to mobilization and struggle.
Although three decades have passed since the fall of Stalinism and the introduction of capitalism, democratic and social needs remain unmet.
This is the difficult framework in which the colleagues who do not give up or sell out fight and in which they will face great challenges in the coming months.. Finally, we said goodbye exchanging presents: vodka, adhesives, a union pennant, books of posters and graffiti from the French May. We toured the 134 km highway separating Soligorsk of Minsk between fields and forests; happy to assimilate their experiences, with the desire to spread their struggle and support their just demands.
Although three decades have passed since the fall of Stalinism and the introduction of capitalism, democratic and social needs remain unmet. From the International Socialist League we are convinced that solutions will not come with the imperialist EU aspirations, Russia, China o EE. THE. Nor with exploitative capitalism investments and looters. Much less oppressive and corrupt bureaucrats Stalinists, be homesick or recycled.
Worldwide it is necessary to build unions and political organizations with new leaders who fight for workers' conquests with immediate strategy: governing the workers and the people, socialism with workers' democracy and full freedoms.
Rubén Tzanoff and Anatoly Matvienko
