Swedish trade union condemns repressions against Belarusian workers

At a convention of the largest Swedish trade union IF Metall the Belarusian issue was discussed.

Over 300 delegates of the forum adopted a special statement on the situation in Belarus, while the leader of the Radio Electronic Industry (REI) trade union Hienadz Fiadynich spent three hours answering the questions of Swedish journalists.

Another meeting to hear reports and elect new officials of the largest in Sweden IF Metall trade union gathered over 300 delegates and 100 guests.

Among the guests there was the chairman of the trade union of the workers of radio electronic industry Hienadz Fiadynich.

The trade union leader told praca-by.info about the position of the Swedish colleagues on the events in Belarus.

The trade union leader reported that the delegates of the convention unanimously adopted a statement on Belarus, in which they strongly criticize the persecution of the independent trade union movement in our country, Belarusian government’s not meeting ILO recommendations and mass use of temporary contracts, which are one of the forms of irregular employment, condemned worldwide.

The Swedish colleagues arranged a special press-conference on the situation in Belarus, during which Hienadz Fiadynich told about the problems that Belarusian workers and trade unions are facing:

- There were a lot of questions, very different. Over 30 journalists came. There were a lot of young people. They asked about the contracts, the IIHF championship, freedom of speech and assembly, trade union rights, placement upon graduation, they asked whether it was true that due to the events in Ukraine the number of Russian troops in Belarus had grown. I was surprised with how interested they were in our problems. The press-conference went on for three hours. I handed out a comparative chart of our two countries, the numbers in which speak for themselves. The most interesting thing is that roughly the same number of people live in Sweden and Belarus. They even asked, whether they should come visit us. I said that we are always happy to have guests, we have a very beautiful country and wonderful people, and the situation would surely change, - the leader of the REI trade union Hienadz Fiadynich summarized.