Henadz Fiadynich: Either Revoke The Forced Labour Or The People Revoke This Power

A great indignation is growing in the regions of Belarus.

On Labour Day Charter97.org talked to the leader of the Independent Trade Union of Radio and Electronic Industry (REP) Henadz Fiadynich.

- What are the major problems the Belarusians are concerned about? What people do usually ask the REP Trade Union for help? What problems do they have?

- A lot of people have contacted our union over the past two months.

There are three major problems.

First, it's non-payment of money under contracts. People are simply left without their wages. As a rule, employees are offered improper contracts from the very beginning. People do not know how such a document should be drawn up, and various organizations and employers take advantage of it.

The second group of people we often help is people responsible for shops, cooperatives and other places with huge circulations of money. And shortages in these institutions usually become the burden of such people. But in many cases it's just not possible for these people to "steal" products worth such sums even if they "steal" all days long. People become hostages of the system created in Belarus.

The third major problem is that workers under contracts cannot quit when they want to change jobs. They are not dismissed, citing Lukashenka's Decrees No. 5 and No. 29.

This is the "triad" of problems the Belarusian workers face the most. One should mention "parasite" issues - the addresses of those who are included in the so-called "lists of unemployed in the economy".

- Leanid Sudalenka, a lawyer of the REP Trade Union, says that there were queues for a vacancy of 300 rubles in the regions. The authorities provide quite different figures of "average salaries". How does the real situation with wages and work look like in our country?

- You see, the system of official statistics in Belarus does not reflect the real situation with wages. And employers actively seize the situation in the country.

In Belarus, there is a minimum consumer budget. It is equal to Br451. By definition, it's money to be spent on basic consumer and socio-cultural needs of a person.

So, the question arises: why does the first tariff rate not equal to 451 rubles? Why does the law set the minimum wage of 330 rubles for an employer? At the same time, we record facts when people get 280, 290, 300 rubles. Well, this is a mockery at employees!

If the minimum wage couldn't be less than the first tariff rate, that is, Br450, the worker of the fourth tariff rate would earn at least Br500 regardless of the region.

Is this anything extraordinary? Can't the state do it? Will it go bankrupt?

It can be done, and I will even say how. We just need to reduce government spending on officials. No country needs so many ministries, departments, police, different civil servants.

But the authorities do not want to do it. As a result, the whole apparatus live off a worker and resembles the proverb: one beats the bush, and seven others catch the bird. What a "socially-oriented" state can we talk about? Today Belarus is an antisocially-oriented state.

- Because of low salaries, people go to work abroad; and they are labeled as "parasites" in their homeland. What do you think about the restoration of the decree on "parasites" and how to fight it?

- First, decrees No. 1 and No. 3 on "parasites" should be revoked as soon as possible.

Those Belarusians, working in Poland and Russia today, send millions of dollars. And this money is spent on the economy of Belarus. In addition, various trade markups, VAT are all paid by the population, including those who work abroad and give their earnings to their families.

They work for the benefit of Belarus. And we should be grateful to these people for sending their money to families. If there were no these millions of dollars, then the purchasing power of the population would decrease even more.

Doesn't the government realise it? If it does not, it means that there must be another government that realises it.

People should return to Belarus. And there is only one way: to motivate people to work for decent wages. If conditions with the salary of $1000, as in Poland, are not available at once, one should reach it step-by-step: let a person earn $600-800 first, but live with the family and know that the situation is changing for the better.

The outflow of highly qualified employees will affect the quality of products produced in Belarus - in construction, in industry and everywhere. The current power makes us lose the best. And this is the fact.

- International organizations have repeatedly rung the alarm that forced labour is practiced in Belarus. What forms of forced labour do the Belarusian authorities use?

- It is worth remembering that a person can hardly quit his job in Belarus before the contract expires. A Belarusian is actually forced to work for a miserable salary.

Obviously, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the world community consider it as forced labour.

The moment has long riped when Lukashenka's Decrees No. 29 and No. 5 should have been urgently revoked. People should work under open-ended employment contracts. According to the Constitution, the right to work is a matter of a person: one looks for a better place to work that meets one's needs and demands.

Why should a person in Belarus work under a contract which defends interests of an employer and the state? Contracts are signed for a year, and people get nervous breakdown due to stress every year; they are not allowed to change a jon to earn more and thus invest more in the economy.

Therefore, there is forced labour in Belarus in its pure form, and we will fight this phenomenon together with the ILO.

Lukashenka's decrees should be unconditionally revoked. Only some categories of people should work under fixed-term contracts: heads of enterprises, accountants and those who replace temporarily absent workers (for example, those on maternity leave).

Others should work under open-ended employment contracts. And things offered by the official Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) are an attempt to deceive workers. They want workers to sign contracts for a year, and then, if everything is fine, a long-term or an open-ended contract. Stop playing these games! Contracts, forced labour and decrees No. 5 and No. 29 should be revoked.

Everybody perfectly knows this. They will ripen when Lukashenka's decrees are revoked together with this power. There is no middle ground: either the government revokes these decrees or the people revoke this power.

- Belarus is occasionally experiencing spontaneous disturbances of workers. How can this discontent turn into an organized protest?

- Any protest cannot be a completely spontaneous event. There are informal leaders everywhere. The challenge is to unite these informal leaders and develop common requirements for power structures.

If they start fulfilling these requirements, it means these people fulfill the will of the people. According to the Constitution, power in the country should belong to the people. Today, the power in Belarus belongs to officials of Lukashenka, and their short-term attitude tries to prevent the people from decision-making in the country.

To hold a peaceful protest, they want people to pay $3- 4 thousand. Do you, guys, want to drive the problem into the corner?

Well, you can do it. And I'll tell you: every action produces a reaction.

If someone wants to test this, the time will come.

One can't treat people this way. One cannot treat our people as if they are the lumpen. Our people are educated. If they are reserved, it does not mean that they miss initiative.

You may go to the regions and witness a huge resentment with the authorities there. It has never happened in the recent history of Belarus.

- What would you like to say to Belarusian workers on Labour Day?

- I'd like everyone to remember that May 1st is not a holiday of labour. It is Day of International Solidarity of Workers. One should learn how to show solidarity.

Solidarity is not a given right. If we learn how to support each other and show solidarity with Svetlahorsk, Brest, regions and small towns, people will feel that they live in a large family of Belarusian citizens, who have a strong sense of self-worth.

That's why I'd like to say that Belarusian workers must fight for their rights, it has never been an easy way.

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