Syarhei Dyleuski, Chairman of the Belarusian Workers’ Union, announced the start of a nationwide strike on November 1.
“Something’s got to give. It is high time the workers took the future into their own hands. We have no right to protract while our relatives, friends and associates are in prisons, while our mothers and sisters, brothers and fathers die of COVID-19 in overcrowded hospitals We cannot just blankly watch some silly citizen’s ruining our businesses and the country’s economy. We cannot allow our country to be sold by signing integration maps!” Dyleuski said in his video message.
“We, the Belarusian Workers’ Union, announce the beginning of a nationwide strike on November 1, 2021! We will stop production across the country until each of the ten requirements is met!” says the leader of the union.
Among the demands put forward by the Belarusian Workers’ Union are putting an end to the current reprisals and the release of political prisoners; the start of negotiations between the authorities and democratic forces; the adjustment of salaries and pension payments to the economic situation; the exercise of the constitutional right to freedom of speech; unhampered activity of independent trade unions.
Dyleuski called on Belarusians not to go to work starting November, 1.
“Let’s stay home. In such a way we will be able to fight back our country and restore law and justice there. This is the only way to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the pandemic that has hit our Motherland,” he stressed.
