New ways of pressure on Granit company workers

Workers of Granit company, who demonstrated their discontent, have been summoned to prosecutor's office and military enlistment office.

A prosecutor held a conversation with activists of the independent trade union at Granit plant in Mikashevichy.

Some rebellious workers were summoned to the military enlistment office, where they were told they should participate in reserve military training. The head of the independent trade union branch, Aleh Stakhayevich, thinks it's new hidden forms of applying pressure on workers, Radio Racyja reports.

On February 28, some activists of the independent trade union on Granit plant visited the military enlistment office in Luninets, where they underwent a medical check. They were told they had to take part in the reserve military training, which would last about a month. One of the workers says he has an impression that members of the independent trade union were drafted in first turn:

“They said I'm able-bodied. They did not need anything for confirmation, though I had medical tests as far as a year ago. I was at work yesterday. I was handed in a summons. People were told they were called up for military training which would last for a month. I did not undergo a chest X-ray. But they do not need it. There will be a meeting on March 16. As far as I understand, the draft starts on March 30. Most active people will be called up.”

Aleh Stakhayevich, the chair of the independent trade union branch, has the same opinion:

“These workers have faced pressure not only from Granit plant authorities, but from the state machine. A military commissioner is said to have been called to the KGB and ordered to draft five most active workers. They must be called up by all means possible.”