MINSK, 22 December (BelTA) – The Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) and its member organizations have released a statement saying the European Union violates rights of working Belarusians, the FTUB press service told BelTA.
According to the source, the introduction of economic sanctions against Belarusian enterprises represents sanctions against their workers first and foremost. The sanctions infringe upon a fundamental human right – the right to work, the statement reads. Sanction-related restrictions on the operation of the enterprises may result in lower salaries, staff layoffs, and the overall worsening of the social and economic wellbeing of the workers and their families.
The FTUB pointed out that according to the United Nations Organization sanctions almost always seriously affect economic interests of ordinary people and infringe upon their right to work. Moreover, back in 2019 a special UN rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights and freedoms stated that the use of economic sanctions for political goals violates human rights and undermines the foundation of international cooperation. Due to the pandemic this year the UN has called for abandoning economic sanctions in order to give countries more opportunities to support healthcare systems and help their people.
The FTUB and its member organizations resolutely condemn the European Union's decision to introduce economic sanctions against a number of Belarusian enterprises. The FTUB and its member organizations are intent on protecting rights of the people to work without restrictions and artificial barriers, which are created due to absolutely unsubstantiated reasons.
Commenting on the released statement, FTUB Chairman Mikhail Orda said: “Economic sanctions always affect workers of the enterprises in the end. These actions are designed to damage the wellbeing of people, deprive them of their salaries and possibly jobs. In other words, the right of people to work is infringed upon. No doubt we will protect members of trade unions. Our industry-specific trade unions, which belong to the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, have expressed solidarity support for workers of these enterprises. We also call upon our colleagues in the trade union movement from other countries to support our stance, which is aimed against the European Union's application of measures that worsen the status of working people. If necessary, we will support workers and their families financially.”
The FTUB press service noted that workers of the sanctioned enterprises had already contacted the manufacturing sector trade union Belprofmash. “People are indignant because the sanctions run contrary to any logic and have no grounds whatsoever. The people don't understand what has prompted the sanctions. They work honestly, they earn money, they have steady jobs, while European Union sanctions threaten all of that,” Belprofmash Deputy Chairman Mikhail Kostyan said.
The complaints were forwarded to the European Union delegation to Belarus on 22 December. “We believe it is necessary to convey the opinion of workers of our enterprises to European officials to make the latter clearly see and understand that their actions damage interests of common folk,” Mikhail Kostyan stressed.
