DO NOT LET YOUR COUNTRY BE SOLD OFF AND LOOTED!
As the process of privatization has already started in the country the BKDP Council on 22 July 2008 adopted its statement which says that the prior and basic requirements for implementation of privatization are to be openness and transparency. “Uphold jointly just and fair privatization; not few individuals but entire Belarusian people should benefit from it! – is the major slogan of BKDP.
FAIR AND JUST PRIVATIZATION…
STATEMENT
OF COUNCIL OF TRADE UNION ASSOSIATION
“BELARUSIAN CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATIC TRADE UNIONS”
The country is on the eve of a large-scale privatization. The prior and basic requirements for implementation of this process are to be the openness and transparency. But in reality it looks as if Belarusian Government is being guided by quite opposite principles. Last year nobody ever got to know the terms Minsk motor and cycle plant and the GSM “VELCOM’ operator has been privatized and who the owners were.
The story is being recurring this year. The Government declares about its plans to privatize hundreds of companies including strategic enterprises like Minsk automobile plant. But the public opinion of the country is neglected.
On behalf of free and independent unions functioning in different sectors of economy we strongly condemn the malpractice of a closed and non-transparent privatization and warn those of their responsibility who tries to implement this important process behind the closed doors ignoring workers and their interests.
We warn that an intentional suppression of information on privatization terms and on the potential owners of our enterprises is a direct violation of the Constitution and the legislation of the country. Those who will be clamed guilty will answer for it sooner or later since the closed manner and non-transparency of privatization are the direct premises to crime and corruption.
Being conscious of responsibility before the union members and all workers of and being the representatives of the only independent trade union center in the country, we call on state officials to provide full and true information of all the plans and details of privatization.
We demand that the list of companies liable to privatization should be made public and discussed at the tripartite National Council of Labor and Social Issues (NCLSI).
We demand that the comprehensive information about the potential owners should be provided including the terms on which this or that owner is going to buy our companies and how he or they are going to solve vital issues of preserving workplaces and social guaranties.
We call on presenting business-plans, organization of tenders when selling enterprises and insist on inclusion of our representatives into the appropriate commissions.
We are addressing all the workers, all our union members and activists and those not affiliated with the BKDP.
Dear friends! We are approaching one of the most crucial moments in our life. Our destiny and the destiny of our families, children and grand children for dozens of years ahead will depend upon our position in privatization process.
We should not be tolerant to such development of events when one day when we wake up in the morning and see that the country has already been sold off and the new owners of this country are far away from here and their interest are far away from the interests of and its people. Judging by the latest developments such threat sounds quite realistic.
Being aware of severe and inevitable necessity of privatization our independent union centre, nevertheless, does not go against it. The change of company owners seams for the workers as kind of new challenges and as new opportunities too. The vivid confirmation is the monthly salary of people working in economy governed by the state. This salary hardly exceeds 400 USD whereas in it amounts nearly to 700 USD, in – 1000 USD and in - 1400 USD.
Nevertheless, the workers should always bear in mind that any company owner, weather it is a state owner or a private one, will never put the interests of workers above his own. They always will be trying to exploit the workers. Therefore, no matter what the owner is or how important the situation may seam (like privatization) one can hardly find any other instrument but trade unions in order to protect workers’ rights.
Do not trust promises and assurances and do not think that somebody will take care of you or your interests will be taken into account by the state when changing the owner. It is a mere hypocrisy. If it were so then no one would conceal from you the information on privatization.
If they were guided by your interests they would never introduce forced short-term contract labor which was carefully planned long before privatization and was put in force on the eve of it. The short-term contracts have thrownback into the darkness of Middle Ages turning the workers into the silent slaves.
Do not forget bitter lessons of history and do not let somebody deceive you again.
Remember, we can be able to protect our rights at this crucial moment only if we all stay together.
You should bear in your mind that only joining the real independent unions will give us chance to achieve our goals and will not allow the privatization to be turned into a next robbery and be implemented at the expense of the workers.
Remember and be aware that a real independent workers’ organization is available in this country- it is the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Union (BKDP). It persistently and steadily protects your rights and interests and all the time is ready to assist you in your struggle.
We are always open and accessible to you and shall always be glad to give a helping hand to everybody who will come to us from any place across our beloved .
These slogans should become basic and common for all of us:
Do not let our country be sold off and looted!
Jointly uphold just and fair privatization; not few individuals but entire Belarusian
people should benefit from it!
We shall be the winners if we are together!!!
Council of BKDP
22/07/2008
Contact information:
Tel/fax. +375 17 214 89 05; + 375 17 214 8906
e-mail:
80-80, 15 etazh, ul. Yakubova, 220095Minsk,
| 22.07.2008 |
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