MINSK, 11 December (BelTA) - In Minsk, representatives of trade unions from 27 countries spoke out against sanctions during the international conference “Modern Economic Challenges and Their Impact on Labor Relations and the Social and Economic Position of Workers”, BelTA has learned.
The large-scale international conference was initiated by the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB).
Igor Camilli, National Secretary of the Socialist Homeland civil movement of Italy, stated that the West is constantly seeking pretexts to impose sanctions.
“The use of sanctions against sovereign states is a base and vile instrument of pressure. Sanctions have become commonplace. Their goal is to keep under control governments and peoples who do not wish to submit to the rules imposed by Western imperialism. The West is in constant search of any pretext to impose sanctions. But it must be remembered that they are primarily directed against social and economic models, such as the Belarusian one, which have proven their viability,” he said.
“Sanctions, which provoke crises in the global economy, also strike at national economies, often leading to serious shifts in the balance between society and business. Consequently, the rules regulating relations between employers and workers change,” Igor Camilli said. “Here, trade unions play a fundamental role in restoring the necessary balance in the national economy, so that social aspects and the interests of the people take precedence over the tasks of the production economy.”
President of the Federation of Unions of South Africa Masale Godfrey Selematsela emphasized that trade unions must protect workers. “Today, workers worldwide are facing rising costs of living and wage stagnation, exacerbated by unstable and unjust economic conditions. We need to examine the consequences of global sanctions on the economy and jobs, protect workers’ welfare from inflation, and urgently adapt to the realities of the digital age,” he said.
According to the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, Belarus as a whole, and the national trade union center in particular, is systematically working to protect international law regarding the inadmissibility of unilateral coercive measures. “This position of solidarity has been repeatedly voiced on international platforms at various levels, including within the International Labor Organization, which brings together representatives of governments, workers, and employers from 187 countries worldwide. Furthermore, Belarus has expressed its position on sanctions policy at a meeting of the UN General Assembly. Today, more and more countries are openly speaking about the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures; however, sanctions continue to be imposed. Consequently, they continue to undermine fundamental human rights - to life, health, work, education, and many others,” the FTUB said.
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