MINSK, 1 May (BelTA) - In a new episode of BelTA’s Nation Speaks project Vadim Grachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB), spoke about the history of Labor Day and how its messages have changed with time.
There is a certain tragic touch in the history of Labor Day, Vadim Grachev said. “In 1886, in a number of countries, which today teach us ‘democracy’, faced unrest. People came out demanding to improve their working conditions. Chicago workers took to the streets in late April and early May. Did they ask for something supernatural? No. They asked for what is now perceived as the norm for everyone in our country - an eight-hour workday. There were provocations against strikers. Some activists were convicted. As it turned out later, it was a miscarriage of justice. No violations of the law on part of strikers were committed,” he said.
This event gave start to International Labor Day in many countries around the world. “We started celebrated Labor Day in the Soviet times as well. In the end of 1990s independent Belarus adopted the Soviet-time practice of celebrating the day as a holiday of spring and labor. How does it differ in its messages today? This holiday and its events are not aimed at demanding something. They are not aimed at fomenting any conflict between the parties to social partnership or in society. This holiday is aimed at peace, at honoring and praising creative work, at events that unite families and labor collectives,” the FTUB deputy chairman said.
Today this holiday is associated with positive messages, Vadim Grachev added. “Of course, this did not just happen by some command. This is all the result of the systematic work to develop and improve the system of social partnership in our country, which began to emerge in 1995 when the head of state adopted the decree on the development of social partnership,” he said.
Today the parties of social partnership in Belarus, unlike in other countries, are set up for constructive interaction - the government, the employers' association, the National Trade Center of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus. “Of course, there are points in the legislation that need to be corrected. We discuss them and do it constructively. There is the National Council for Labor and Social Affairs where all these issues are solved. We are looking for a balance in any matter and we understand that we need to come to an agreement. If some things remain unresolved, sooner or later it will affect the mood in labor collectives and will lead to social tension. We do not need this,” Vadim Grachev said and concluded: “Celebrating 1 May, we go on stage and show our workers that we are together and our common task is to achieve stability and development of labor collectives in slightly different ways. We tell about our achievements and say what is yet to be achieved.”
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