To the President of the Republic of Belarus Mr Lukashenko
Dear Mr President,
On December 14, 2001 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus approved resolution N 1804 "On actions to defend rights of trade unions members" banning cashless collection of membership fees.
The above-mentioned resolution ruins the system of membership fees collection functioning in the Republic of Belarus, other CIS countries and all over the world; infringes the right of more than 4 million workers to freely handle their salaries; and aims to financially suppress and eliminate trade unions as independent workers' organizations.
After familiarizing ourselves with legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus we claim that this resolution of the Council of Ministers contradicts the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Trade Unions", the Labour and Civil Codes of the Republic of Belarus, infringes international conventions and recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ILO Declaration on fundamental principles and rights in the sphere of labour, and, as we knew later, the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus of Feb. 21, 2001 "On order of payment of trade union membership fees" ruling that deduction of membership fees from wages and their transference to trade unions' accounts is in keeping with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, international legislative acts and legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
We, leaders of social democratic and socialist parties of the CIS and Baltic countries, members of the Eastern European Social Democratic Forum who convened for this meeting on Dec. 20, 2001 in Minsk, appeal to you with a request to cancel this by-law contradicting the norms of international law.
On behalf of the Council, President of the Forum, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (United) V.MEDVEDCHUK
December 20, 2001, Minsk
