Senko: Belarus’ trade union model draws foreign interest

MINSK, 3 May (BelTA) - The experience gained in the development of the trade union movement in Belarus is of interest to other countries, Yuri Senko, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB), told the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA has learned.

The trade union movement is 120 years old. According to Yuri Senko, that is considerable experience for such an organization. A unique body of work has been accumulated, and the Federation of Trade Unions continues to refine its methods.

Yuri Senko noted that people trust the trade union movement and want to take part in it. “Today, we have 24,000 primary trade union organizations and 18,000 collective labor agreements. This shows that the collective agreement is a very important document that shapes the relationship between employees and employers. Just in 2025, in addition to wages, workers received about Br5 billion through the collective agreement system. We consider this very substantial support. The amount has grown compared to 2024 by nearly Br400,000,” he said.

Open dialogue is facilitated through trade union sessions. This provides a way to gauge which issues concern people. In over 90% of cases, answers are provided on the spot.

Belarus is ready to share its experience. “Many processes that have long been implemented in our country are only being recommended to countries developing their trade union movements at the International Labor Organization platform. They can take an example from us and study how we protect workers’ rights and how we participate in rule-making activities,” Yuri Senko said.

A joint commission involving the government, employers, and trade unions is currently working on a new law on the trade union movement. Last year, trade unions became involved in preparing amendments to labor legislation. “We submitted our proposals and suggestions on how we see the resolution of various issues that need to be addressed in legislation at the current stage. Lawmakers heard us on many of them: support for youth, Belarusian women, motherhood and childhood, as well as support on issues related to labor protection and health,” Yuri Senko added.