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28 June, 2007
A.G.Lukashenko
President
Republic of Belarus
By fax: +375-17-226-06-10
Brussels,
18 June 2007
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you on behalf of the 20 million workers whom our International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) represents through its 384 affiliates in 125 countries of the world.
We see the decision of the European Union to withdraw the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) benefits from Belarus, effective from June 21, 2007, solely as a result of your Government’s persistent disregard for internationally recognised labour standards and its systematic failure to comply with the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry of the International Labour Organisation.
The Belarusian State Administration has had more than adequate time for implementing measures required to convince the international community of the seriousness of its declared intention to ensure freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining for all workers in Belarus.
In reality, the measures taken by your Government proved to be largely cosmetic; the existing legal framework for trade union activities still allows for suppressive and discriminatory actions by managers and authorities who arbitrarily use it against members of independent trade unions; and the new Draft Law on Trade Unions equally does not guarantee genuine trade union rights and freedoms.
We wholeheartedly support the independent trade unions and workers in Belarus and resent all attempts to lay the blame for the withdrawal of the GSP benefits at their door. The full responsibility for this decision of the European Union is borne by the Belarusian State Administration, and we believe that only expeditious and earnest implementation of the recommendations of the ILO Commission of Inquiry can form a credible basis for any future resolution of this situation.
Sincerely Yours,
Manfred Warda
ICEM General Secretary
Cc:
S.S.Sidorskiy, Prime-Minister, Republic of Belarus
L.P.Kozik, Chairman, Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus
A.I.Jaroshuk, President, Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions