This year, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to a jailed human rights defender from Belarus, a country that has violated a number of core fundamental rights and freedoms for decades.
Education International firmly condemns attacks on free trade unions by
the authorities of Belarus as part of the long campaign to destroy democratic
forces. On 18 July, the Supreme Court liquidated and dissolved the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) along with its four member organisations, three of which are members of IndustriALL Global Union. In addition, fifteen leaders and union activists are in prison.
The regime in Belarus has dismantled the country's independent trade unions. IndustriALL and affiliates stand strong in defending them and democracy in the country.
Uncompromising demands have been made to the Belarusian authorities.
IndustriALL International Trade Union has demanded from the BMZ to stop the unprecedented infringement of workers rights and persecution immediately, the Belarus of the Brain telegram channel reports.
The letter, addressed to BMZ General Director
Dzmitry Korchyk, uses uncompromising wording. IndustrialALL called observance of workers rights in accordance with Belarusian legislation and international standards a necessary condition for cooperation with BMZ and demanded to improve the situation immediately, to stop persecution of workers, and to reinstate all those fired.
IndustrialALL also expressed the hope that they would not have to appeal to BMZ s main customers, with whom they are in close cooperation, to ensure that workers rights are respected in their supply chains.
BITU members at BMZ report threats of dismissals, including fixed-term contracts not being extended.
On 21 January, BMZ fired the local union chairman Vadzim Laptsik and Dzmitry Yafremau, member of the union auditing commission. Yafremau was fired for being absent from work, despite a police certificate proving his arrest for the August protests.
Hanna Kalupakho, one of the eleven founding members, was asked to resign in August and was subsequently fired on 1 February.
The local union of BITU at BMZ has still not been registered by authorities, nor recognized by the employer.
“We need international solidarity as our members at BMZ are subject to intimidation and reprisals. The workers wanted to enjoy freedom of association and establish a local BITU union, but in response, BMZ management decided to fire them or punish in other ways. And instead of protecting its citizens’ human and workers’ rights, Belarusian authorities have launched criminal investigation against three