Belaruskali’s administration promises to disband independent trade union

The workers of the potassium giant started expressing their discontent with their socio-economic conditions several months ago.

Belarusian Statistics Committee’s data have proved that the average salary dropped in Salihorsk district in June by almost 50 dollars. It is obvious that it was the enterprise Bealruskali that was largely responsible for the drop, the human rights center Viasna reports.

For what the local human rights activists learnt, the workers of one of the mines addressed the Miners Independent Trade Union in July with a suggestion to hold a picket against the worsening labour conditions. Trade union’s administration declined the suggestion hoping that better conditions could be reached in negotiations with the administration. To be fair, we would note that the director general then promised to cooperate on the issue.

The situation aggravated after Bealruskali parted with its Russian partners from Uralkali, the cooperation with which was organized in the framework of Belarusian Potassium Company. Salihorsk potassium giant’s management had to halt production at two mines and decrease workers’ salary by a third. In these conditions the enterprise’s administration returned to its long-standing plans on decreasing social burden.

First of all it is the matter of getting rid of non-profit Belaruskali’s structural departments like kindergartens, repair and construction works, architecture and design departments. It is also in the plans to replace the construction of preferential accommodations for workers with rented ones.

The workers did not welcome such changes in the enterprise’s social policy. In order to prevent possible protests Belaruskali’s administration held a special meeting, attended by the heads of all the mines, representatives of the pro-government and independent trade unions.

The main message was that hard time came and it was necessary to unite and bear. The independent trade union was demanded to unconditionally support the administration’s actions in the conflict with Uralkali.

In case protest actions were attempted, the administration promised to disband the independent trade union within a week. Under the pressure on the part of the administration independent trade union’s administration claimed workers’ full support to the enterprise’s administration in its conflict with Uralkali.