Independent miners' union leader resigns
Mikalay Novik, the leader of the Independent Miners' Trade Union, has resigned, citing health problems. He has chaired the organization since 1991.
"We started from scratch. Initially, we had just 17 delegates who found the union. Today, there are 4500 members," Novik told the European Radio for Belarus.
The independent trade union at the Salihorsk-based Belaruskaliy potash mines is the strongest union in the country, which managed to sign the first ever tariff agreement and labor deals between the union and the employer.
"I think that the union will remain stable. The system is there. If there is a stable system within the union, it includes dozens of people. All of them work as one team towards one direction. This is good. Even if you knock out one link, the system continues to work. I am happy that we have established a mechanism which is hard to be turned back", Novik said in an interview with the European Radio for Belarus.
Ivan Pyarminau, previously a deputy to Mikalay Novik, has taken over as the acting chairman of the union.
"We started from scratch. Initially, we had just 17 delegates who found the union. Today, there are 4500 members," Novik told the European Radio for Belarus.
The independent trade union at the Salihorsk-based Belaruskaliy potash mines is the strongest union in the country, which managed to sign the first ever tariff agreement and labor deals between the union and the employer.
"I think that the union will remain stable. The system is there. If there is a stable system within the union, it includes dozens of people. All of them work as one team towards one direction. This is good. Even if you knock out one link, the system continues to work. I am happy that we have established a mechanism which is hard to be turned back", Novik said in an interview with the European Radio for Belarus.
Ivan Pyarminau, previously a deputy to Mikalay Novik, has taken over as the acting chairman of the union.
