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Confederation of Labor of Russia may launch campaign in support of workers in Belarus

The Confederation of Labor of Russia (CLR) is ready to launch an international campaign in support of workers and independent trade unions in Belarus, the Confederation says in a statement signed by CLR President Boris Kravchenko.

In the statement, Mr. Kravchenko condemns Alyaksandr Lukashenka's December 7 decree that prohibits employees of woodworking companies from quitting their jobs without the employer's permission until the completion of their modernization.

Mr. Lukashenka so far has been reluctant to pay attention to the opinion of the international trade union community, and the situation in Belarus has been closely examined by the International Labor Organization (ILO) for many years, Mr. Kravchenko says. Violations of trade unions' rights in Belarus have repeatedly prompted a tough response from the Organization, he says. "However, the situation continues to deteriorate," he says.

"I think that we will soon have to start a new international campaign in support of workers and independent trade unions in the Republic of Belarus." Mr. Kravchenko says. "The Confederation of Labor of Russia and its member organizations are expressing the organization's readiness to conduct such a campaign."

Last week, Mikhail Shmakov, chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, called on Mr. Lukashenka to abolish his December 7 decree.

Unfortunately, the Belarusian leader's move to restrict the right of employees to quit their jobs resembles decisions by the government of Myanmar, which were sharply criticized by the ILO and the entire international community, Mr. Shmakov said. Myanmar yielded to international pressure after economic sanctions that resulted in an economic downturn and political isolation for the country, he noted.

The controversial decree requires all employees of woodworking companies to sign fixed-term labor contracts. After their expiration, the contracts shall be prolonged by the maximum possible period. New contracts shall be signed after that period expires.

The restriction is expected to be lifted once the modernization of the company is over.

The decree is also aimed at discouraging workers from getting fired for poor work. Under the decree, employees that will be fired for performing their duties improperly will have to repay all of their monthly bonuses to the enterprise.

In addition, the decree stipulates that individuals will be fined 10 to 100 times the Base Rate and companies will be slapped with fines of 50 to 500 times the Base Rate for delaying the modernization of the woodworking plants.

Independent trade unions and opposition organizations have condemned the decree as inconsistent with the Belarusian constitution and the ILO's conventions.

Nevertheless, Mr. Lukashenka warned on December 13 while visiting woodworking company Vitsyebskdrew that the decree should be "implemented unconditionally."