Aliaksandr Bukhvostau: Lukashenka doesn't want to lose control over Trade Union Federation

A congress of the Trade Union Federation (TUF) will be held in September 2015, ahead of the presidential election.

The retirement of Federation head Leanid Kozik that took place on September 25 was followed by the dismissal of presidential aide Natallia Piatkevich “by the agreement of the parties”.

Rumours are circulating that the two dismissals are interrelated and that Natallia Piatkevich will replace Kozik as the Federation head. Is the reshuffle possible? What does Piatkevich have that Kozik lacks? Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, the chairman of the Trade Union of Metal Workers, does not rule out this scenario, Belorusski Partizan reports.

“Everything in our country depends on Lukashenka's decisions,” he says. “We should admit this appointment seems to be logical. The president's administration does not want to lose control over the TUF. It's possible that Lukashenka will not approve the Federation's new leader elected at a lower level.

I remember that during the 2001 presidential campaign, when TUF head Uladzimir Hancharyk was running for the presidency, Frants Vitko was elected chairman of the Federation. He was called to then head of the presidential administration Ural Latypov, who said: “We have nothing against you personally, but the president won't give his consent.

The head of the Trade Union Federation is a key position in the government system allowing to control people. In this view, appointing Natallia Piatkevich as TUF head seems to have some logic.

On the other hand, it is absurd to appoint a person who knows nothing about trade unions as head of the body with significant social functions related to the struggle of employees for their rights.

Natallia Piatkevich has managerial and administrative experience, so the appointment may be possible. We do not rule out this possibility.

Anyway, a plenary meeting of the TUF is expected to approve the retirement of Kozik and appoint temporary head of the Federation. The TUF head will be elected at the congress later. This procedure existed in our times [Aliaksandr Bukhvostau was the chairman of the trade union of agricultural workers in the structure of the TUF].

In all cases, Kozik's successor, whoever it may be, will continue his policy of keeping people on a tight leash.”