Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners of Ukraine with a link to the site of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reported that anti-union repression is intensifying in Belarus: three workers from the city of Zhlobin were sentenced to imprisonment for 2.5 and 3 years.
In particular, it is indicated that Igor Povarovo, Alexander Bobrov and Yevgeny Govor were imprisoned for trying to organize a strike at the Belarusian Metallurgical Plant on August 17, 2020.
"The management of the Belarusian Metallurgical Plant is again trying to suppress the independent trade union, a witch hunt is underway against workers who are trying to organize trade unions at other enterprises throughout the country," the report says.
“We condemn the increased pressure on the right to strike in Belarus. The government does not respect the right of workers to stop working, which is enshrined in international law. The international community must be determined to support workers and the entire population of the country, ”said Sharan Barrow, ITUC General Secretary.
The union noted that while the sentences handed down to the workers of the metallurgical plant are clearly aimed at suppressing the right to strike, several more people have been arrested for participating in public actions.
Recall that on August 17, 2020, several BMZ workers blocked the movement of special vehicles that delivered raw materials to hot shops, which led to a temporary stoppage of the furnaces. The state prosecution stated that in this way the enterprise suffered damage in the amount of 1,088 rubles. 50 kopecks
The suspects in the trial paid off the damage, but this did not save them from the actual deadlines. Three factory workers were tried last week: Igor Povarov was sentenced to three years in prison, Alexander Bobrov and Yevgeny Govor - to two and a half years in prison. Another "striker" Pavel Magidov had to flee the country to the Russian Federation.
