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Belarusian Workers Leave the Official Trade Unions

Since the beginning of the new year the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus has unexpectedly appeared in the media on two occasions. Unlike in Western countries in present-day Belarus you do not hear much about trade unions. The...

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Since the beginning of the new year the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus has unexpectedly appeared in the media on two occasions. Unlike in Western countries in present-day Belarus you do not hear much about trade unions. The Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, also dubbed the ‘official’ trade union, has about 4 million members and thousands of regional, local and organization-based unions, but its role in public life is close to non-existant.

The first time the official trade union hit the headlines was on 3 January when more than 200 workers of the Republican Unitary Industrial Enterprise ‘Granit’ (located in Brest Oblast) decided to leave the ‘official’ trade union and to organize an independent alternative, while if you’re a worker, getting the documents of worker payment is important. Then on 9 January the Federation of Trade Unions unexpectedly joined (though, in a very cautious way) the critics of the government’s decision to triple the Base Rate. The Base Rate is an important  rate to which certain other rates and payments are tied (for example, fines, fees and rates for property rent).

Both events demonstrate that the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus is a relic of the past that brings added value neither to its members nor  to the government. It does not act beyond innocent declarations. Therefore, rather than wasting huge resources to no effect it would be more reasonable to simply disband the ‘official’ trade union.

The Story of Subjugation

The Federation of Trade Unions is one of the notorious institutions that Belarus inherited from the Soviet Union. In the first half of the 1990s Belarusian trade unions began to resemble those of Western countries. Set on a  background of massive worker protests throughout the country a number of new vibrant unions were established (for example, the Confederation of Labor of Belarus, Free Trade Union and Independent Trade Union). The unions headed the protests against miserable salaries and falling living standards.

But after the victory of Aliaksandr Lukashenka in the 1994 presidential election the overall authoritarian wave gradually swept the strong and independent trade unions away. That was not an easy task for the newly elected president and his team. In 1995 a presidential decree suspended the work of the Free Trade Union. But under the pressure of international organizations and foreign states the government had to register the Free Trade Union again. Later, in order to paralyze independent workers’ unions the authorities started to ‘smoke out’ plant-based unions one by one.

As a result, already at the beginning of the 2000s the membership of the independent Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (about 20 thousand) was disproportionately low in comparison with the membership of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (more than 4 million). But it was not yet a victory for the government.

In 2001 the head of the Federation Uladzimir Hancharyk became the single opposition candidate to challenge Lukashenka in the presidential campaign. And only in 2002 the authorities managed to replace Hancharyk with their man Leanid Kozik and, thus, established total control over the Federation of Trade Unions. According to the Federation’s website, the number of its members today amounts to more than 90% of the working population in the country.

As regards the independent trade unions, their role was totally marginalized at the beginning of the 2000s. Members were forced to leave them and join the Federation of Trade Unions. The membership of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, the only association of ‘unofficial’ trade unions, dropped to a couple thousand. Today the Congress unites four organizations:

  • Belarusian Independent Trade Union,
  • Belarusian Free Trade Union,
  • Free Metal Workers’ Union,
  • Belarusian Trade Union of Workers of Radio and Electronics Industry.

These unions are represented at about 30 plants and enterprises across the country.

Goals, Tasks And Possessions Of The ‘Official’ Federation

The main goals of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, as stipulated in its official documents, are the following:

  • coordination of the activities of trade unions aimed at the protection of labor, social and economic rights of the members and affiliated organizations;
  • promotion of solidarity and unity within the trade union movement of Belarus;
  • improvement and development of the social partnership system.

In order to reach its goals the Federation developed a rich program of activities. They include the initiation and development of various legal acts, participation in republican and regional employment programs, projects related to the treatment of workers and members of their families, and other social programs.

The ‘official’ trade union has significant real estate assets across the country that used to belong to its Soviet predecessor. It includes sports clubs and all sorts of sporting facilities, summer camps for children, resorts, hotels and other objects. Some of the property has been commercialized. And, as a result, a great deal of the Federation’s efforts is spent on property management rather than activities to fulfill its primary mission. i.e. to protect workers.

Mission Impossible

Last year marked by a severe financial crisis exposed the real place that the ‘official’ trade union occupies in Belarus. It turned out to be completely impotent to defend its members or even speak on their behalf as the crisis was unfolding and employees’ living standards plummeting. Interestingly, unlike the majority of trade unions in the world, on a couple of occasions (like on the 9 January) the Federation issued statements in support of businesses and employers. But it was done so cautiously and timidly that it cannot be given credit for an insightful pro-market stance.

This is, of course, no surprise. The leadership of the Federation is basically appointed by the government through a system of numerous levers and controls. And he who pays the piper calls the tune. Therefore, the leadership of the Federation is more concerned about the interests of the state than of its members. The ordinary members of the Federation can see this. And, as the case of the ‘Granit’ enterprise showed, they no longer seek help from the ‘official’ trade union. Instead, they look for independent alternatives.

Thus, in 2011 and at the beginning of 2012 the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus clearly demonstrated its inability to fulfill its statuary mission. Being silenced by the state, it does not serve the interests of its members. Moreover, it does not help the government to alleviate social tension because people no longer trust the ‘official’ unions. Therefore, it would be more reasonable for the authorities to stop wasting resources to support the ‘official’ trade unions and simply disband them.

Yauheni Preiherman

Yauheni Preiherman is Policy Director at the Discussion and Analytical Society “Liberal Club” in Minsk

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