Events
Lukashenko urged to streamline collective agreement regulations
MINSK, 10 November (BelTA) – It is necessary to improve regulations concerning collective agreements at enterprises and organizations, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Chairman of the Federations of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) Mikhail Orda on 10 November, BelTA informs.
According to the head of state, this is the time when the majority of collective agreements are concluded, and it is essential to streamline regulations in this field. Aleksandr Lukashenko gave an instruction to work on the matter in association with the Belarus President Administration and the government and to prepare a draft executive order or a draft decree if necessary.
In this regard, Mikhail Orda remarked that a collective agreement is a document which regulates relations between an employer and employees. This document is also called the constitution. “We raised the issue long ago, and now it is regulated in the updated Labor Code: those who do not conclude a collective agreement (i.e. non-members of trade unions), do not use it. We have voluntary membership in trade unions, and some employees are non-members. But before the entrance of the Labor Code into force a declarative principle was in place. A collective agreement was concluded on behalf of trade union members, social guarantees were provided, and all employees could use them,” the FTUB chairman said.
“This is what I mean: if you want to leave a trade union, do it. It is up to every person to decide. But then you will not get this social package,” the head of state said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko explained the reasons for his position. “Many people just got carried away with politics. If you want to be engaged in politics, then join a political party. If trade unions are not good enough for you, don’t use their services.”
“Therefore, it is necessary to dot the i’s. Without any pressure and exaggerations. If you don’t need it, don’t do it. But this will be the state of affairs in our country,” the president said. “We will do our best to strengthen trade unions. Because trade unions in this period in their vast majority (there were some issues just like everywhere else) are the pillar, a strong public organization, a professional organization. No one has the right to destroy it. Why are they trying to hurt trade unions? Because this is one of the pillars of our society. They want to destroy trade unions as a major pillar of our state which has a patriotic position.”
After the meeting Mikhail Orda told reporters that a collective agreement is a motivation for joining a trade union. “Employees paying membership fees should understand that if they need support, they will be defended in courts, just like we are doing. This practice is expanding year on year.”
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