The Coordination Council of IUF member organizations in Russia adopted a statement in support of Belarusian independent trade unions

    On November 30, 2021, in Moscow, the Coordination Council of the member organizations of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tourism, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) in Russia opened in absentia-praesentia form.

    On the first day, participants discussed the situation in enterprises and sectors of the IUF, as well as in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region as a whole: the impact of COVID-19, the vaccination process, the situation with wages and collective bargaining, and the struggle for democratic and trade union rights. It was decided to adopt a statement in support of the independent trade union movement in Belarus, which continues to fight for its survival and workers’ rights in the face of growing pressure and repression, which sharply intensified after last year’s presidential elections and mass protests that took place across the country. Here is the full text of the statement:

    Statement of the Coordination Council of IUF member organizations in Russia in support of independent trade unions in the Republic of Belarus

    We, the members of the Coordination Council of IUF member organizations in Russia, are extremely concerned about information regarding the persecution of civil and trade union activists by the Belarusian authorities, the forced closure of non-governmental organizations and trade union media, unjust detentions and convictions of members of independent trade unions.

    We express our protest against the unjust verdicts of the courts against civil and trade union activists who are now serving their prison terms, as well as against the persecution and dismissal of trade union activists at a number of enterprises in the Republic of Belarus.

    01.12.2021