15 October, 2007IMF affiliate REPAM could soon face additional difficulties with organizing workers in Belarus, if the new draft Law of Trade Unions is adopted by Lukashenka's regime.
BELARUS: The Belarusian Parliament is ready to discuss a new Law on Trade Unions in a move that will give a monopoly on power to government-sponsored trade unions in Belarus.
According to a public declaration by the deputy head of Belarusian President Aleksandr G. Lukashenka's Administration, Natalia Petkevich, a new bill is already developed and will be submitted for consideration by the Parliament during its autumn session, which started on October 2, 2007.
According to REPAM, an affiliate of the International Metalworkers' Federation, the new bill will only allow trade unions to affiliate workers from similar industrial branches and of similar professions. However the law does not provide a clear indication of who and on what basis the level of similarity is determined, thus creating the possibility of misuse and misinterpretation of the new law. Gennadiy Fedynitch, REPAM chairman, said the new law will deprive workers from joining a union of their choice.
In addition, the draft law also contains a requirement for trade union organizations to have a minimum number of members when seeking national trade union status. At present, REPAM does not qualify for the specified size and is concerned that the new law is a targeted attack to strip the union of its legal status.
REPAM has been a vocal critic of the Belarusian government's horrible record on human and trade union rights and has filed a complaint against the government with the International Labour Organization.
In a letter to President Lukashenka, IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi urged the Belarusian leader to end his government's attack on independent trade unions in Belarus and called on the president to "start respecting human and trade union rights in accordance with international obligations assumed by Belarus."
Unions in Belarus contend that the new law violates international norms and standards and is in breach of the Belarusian constitution.