Belarus affiliates hold protest

BELARUS: The IMF's two Belarus affiliates, the Automobile & Agricultural Machinery Workers' Union (AAM) and the Radio & Electronics Industry Workers' Union (REI), held a protest action on May 22 against "the impoverishment of the people." If the number of participants -- 1,000 -- may seem modest, under the conditions existing in Belarus this was really an achievement. Government authorities tried to prevent the action, and even the management of one of the companies involved informed its workers their wages would be paid during the time the action was taking place. Others were told they would lose their jobs if they participated in the protest. Challenging the conditions of general silence and submissiveness in the country, people attended the meeting to express their distrust of the government.