Workers of BelAZ demanded from the management not to provide the security forces with their products

TUT.BY / Charter Vimeo

The exhibition area at the plant

zoya54.list.ru / DepositPhotos

Workers of the Belarusian automobile plant (BelAZ) at the meeting with the leadership is required to affect the situation on the streets of cities and in particular not to provide the security forces produced at the plant the cars to disperse the protests. The workers also demanded to declare national strike, told Sputnik.

Representatives of the management first told the RIA “Novosti” that the company is not a strike, but a meeting with labor collective, but footage from the scene say otherwise. Subsequently, the workers came head of the Executive Committee of Zhodino. Factory workers marched through the campus chanting: “Go away!” Workers are urged to declare a national strike and demanded the resignation of the current government and the release of political prisoners.

They told the Russian service of the BBC that requested to meet with the leadership and went out on her on their lunch break. “Riot goes and wreak havoc on the machines that we produce. We don’t want to tolerate this! Let the user contact with the security forces,” explained workers. Factory shop continue to work. Videos of the protesting employees of the plant published the Telegram-channel “Nexta Live”.

“On Friday last came the boss. Said, if the 10th day someone at work comes out, or a letter from the police or other agencies [will come], the dismissal under article. Already more than a hundred people dismissed”, – told the “MBH media” one of the workers of the plant. According to him, the employees stopped work and came out of the shops on the street. While working one of the shops locked inside so they came out to the rest of the protesters.

The portal Tut.by reported that in 12 hours the company’s employees came to the Central entrance to meet with management and demand fair elections. “A lot of people, it is hard to count. The guide came to us, we will now speak,” said one of the workers.

People are outraged that the buses BelAZ stood out of the police to arrest the protesters. “What are our taxes? To us and our children were beaten?” – the workers say, requiring that the city has removed the riot police. “9 th, 10 th, 11 th special forces and riot police detain peaceful citizens who were just returning from work. Among them were workers of BelAZ. The guy went from second shift, he tied four commando, beat. Where he is now, we don’t know: arrested or in the hospital,” said one of the workers. According to them, people are detained including at gas stations and parks.

Acting Director General of BelAZ Oleg Stepuk said Tut.by that, according to him, only two employees detained BelAZ, the management is trying to find out where these people are and what condition they’re in. Also acting CEO said that the police sent a letter from the factory, which the authors are willing to take the detainees on bail, and dismissal on political grounds no permit. The workers themselves say they detained a lot more.

According to the Russian service of the BBC, the protesters dispersed after a conversation with the head of the city Executive Committee Vladimir Zabolotsky. He promised that the riot police will no longer patrol the streets in Zhodzina – it will be done by ordinary police, and promised to meet with the workers again tonight. Z also promised that the car BelAZ also will no longer be allocated to the security forces. During a conversation with the workers the mayor called and was told that the riot police is ready to withdraw from Zhodzina, if there is no threat of seizure of administrative buildings. One of the participants said that employees returned to the workshop to inform other workers of the plant if their demands are not met, it is possible that production will stop.

According to The Village Belarus, joined such companies as “Grodno-Azot”, “Dolphin”, the Belarusian state Philharmonic society, JSC “Grodnozhilstroy”, “Terraset”, “Leeds market” and “Keramin”. As the “Sputnik Belarus”, involved in peaceful protests will be considered valid reason for absence in the workplace in two major IT firms in Grodno. Their workers have received an official letter about the fact that the time spent under administrative arrest, is paid in full. The only thing ask is to alert project managers that will delay the execution of tasks.

Plant “Terraza” also announced an indefinite strike, demanding to stop violence against civilians, release all detainees, to annul the election results and hold new under the supervision of international observers, as well as “to provide Belarusians and the whole world with reliable information about what is happening in the country.”

BELAZ Charter from Vimeo on Vimeo.

Keramin Charter from Vimeo on Vimeo.

Zhodzina Charter from Vimeo on Vimeo.

On 10 August in the city of Zhlobin went on strike workers of the Belarusian metallurgical plant (BMZ), reported on strikes in the Belarusian automobile plant, Minsk tractor plant and Minsk automobile plant. Subsequently, these data have been refuted, but one of the workers at the Belarusian metallurgical plant confirmed that the workers put forward the management requirements, the finishing area of the plant have stopped work.

In addition, the telegram channel “Belarus” an appeal to businessmen with a proposal to stop or limit the operation of, and minimize the number of staff in the workplace. The authors point out that business activity in the conditions of mass repression, which apply to all without distinction, is impossible. “Return to full operation will be possible only provided the withdrawal of security forces from cities,” – said in a statement.

In telegram-channel “May the land of Belarus” also published a statement on indefinite strike from August 11. “The strike is our legal right and duty, we should not keep and pull your camera bureaucrats, security forces. We demand new, honest elections, release of all political prisoners, the resignation of the President, the government and the dissolution of the national Assembly”, – said in a statement.