On 7 October independent trade unions would hold a meeting, dedicated to World Day of Struggle for Decent Labor. Minsk City Executive Committee contrived authorizing this action to one trade union organization and, at the same time, banning it to another one.

It is worth reminding, that for the second year in a row, following the decision of the International Confederation of Trade Union, on 7 October trade unions throughout the world conduct different activities and events aimed at attracting people’s attention to the problem of ensuring safe conditions of labor and decent pay. This year applications to hold a meeting on that day in Minsk have been submitted by the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU) and Belarusian Radio and Electronic Workers Union (REWU).

As a result, the Minsk City Executive Committee issued authorization to conduct a meeting on 7 October to BCDTU. The meeting would be conducted on 7 October from 16.30 till 18.30 at the open concert ground in the Recreation and Leisure Park, named after 50 anniversary of October Revolution.

The savour of the situation is that initially BCDTU and REWU decided to hold a joint meeting on that day, where they have been planning to raise a number of demands to the Government. The only thing left is to make wild guesses what grounds the city authorities used to allow the event to one organization and ban it to the other.

As Gennady Fedynich, the REWU Chairperson told “Salidarnast”, it is possible to assume that this way the authorities decided to prevent independent trade union from amalgamating. The thing is, according to the trade union leader, both BCDTU and REWU reiterated that they would hold a joint meeting on 7 October.

- Two friendly organizations submit applications to hold a meeting in one and the same place, with one slogan, with similar explanations what is the Day of Struggle for Decent Labor. After applications are considered one organization receives an authorization whereas the other is refused. The justification they gave, puzzled Gennady Fedynich. - The authorities could have invited leadership to talk or send a request whether both organizations are prepared to hold a meeting at the same place. However, they did not do it, and I think it was done on purpose. They want to show us that we are nobody, that there is no such trade union organization as REWU. Maybe the authorities tried counteracting to our amalgamation, maybe they did not want us holding this meeting together.

Gennady Fedynich informed “Salidarnast” that last week the REWU activists during a number of days have been distributing information materials at the Minsk enterprises’ gates. The leaflets are explaining what is understood as decent labor from the International Labor Organization point of view, and what conditions of labor are ensured for Belarusian workers.

Trade union leader underlined: irrespective of the fact that the REWU was denied authorization to hold a meeting, the organization welcomes decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee to issue authorization to BCDTU to conduct an activity.

- We would have gone to participate in the meeting anyway because it was decided by Presidium of our organization. In case authorities would have denied conducting an event to the Congress, then we might have let our people down. In this situation we would take part in the authorized meeting and inform people what is considered decent conditions of pay and what are the independent trade unions, - underlined Gennady Fedynich.