Keep up support for Belarus unions

BELARUS: Following the IMF's recent appeal for stepped up support to Belarus affiliates in their difficult struggle against government attempts to destroy the independent trade union movement in the country, the French Federation of Metalworkers (FGM-CGT) has written to its minister of foreign affairs to request French intervention with the Belarus government leadership. The FGM-CGT requested that the Quai d'Orsay demand respect by Belarus authorities for ILO fundamental principles and an end to harassment of leaders of the two affiliates, the Automobile & Agricultural Machinery Workers' Union (AAM) and the Radio & Electronics Industry Workers' Union (REI). Among latest examples of the Belarus government's violation of free trade union rights was in December when, prior to plenums of the AAM and REI, authorities put strong pressure on union members to drop their support for Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, AAM president, and Gennadi Fedynitch, REI president. Members received phone calls and "invitations" to visit local authorities, and files containing forged messages by the two union federations with so-called accusations against the two union presidents were distributed at the entrance to the meetings. The IMF Executive Committee, at its December meeting, issued a strong statement in support of the AAM and REI and their fight to safeguard the independent trade union movement in Belarus. Although Belarus government attempts against the AAM and REI have thus far failed, the unions believe these efforts will continue. The two affiliates are among the last remaining independent institutions in Belarus and have the strong support of their rank-and-file members.