The “8+100” forum took place in Brussels, bringing together Belarusian democratic forces and European political parties. At the invitation of the organisers, representatives of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) were also present at the event.

On 26 January, a meeting took place at the Bremen City Hall between Aliaksandr Yarashuk, Chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), and Andreas Bovenschulte, President of the Federal Council of Germany and Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. The meeting was also attended by representatives of Salidarnast e.V. and Christian Wechselbaum, head of the Bremen branch of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB).

In his interview to gazetaby.com, Maksim Senik, an activist of the Belarusian Independent Union (BNP) at the Hrodna Azot fertilizer plant tells what a man who dares to express his own point of view and speak against unjust actions of the authorities has to go through in today‘s Belarus.

Millions of workers around the world today work in the platform economy. Their work is regulated by digital platforms. Examples of such work are familiar to everyone: food delivery, passenger transport, courier services, freelance workers, and others. Many platforms argue that they are merely intermediaries between clients and independent contractors, but in reality they control the working conditions, pay, and number of working hours.

On December 10, International Human Rights Day, Volha Brytsikava, former leader of the primary organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union at OJSC Naftan, received the Human Rights Solidarity Award. The Belarusian Human Rights Association presented the award to her for her steadfastness, principles, and ongoing defense of workers' rights despite pressure and repression.

On November 24 in Helsinki, a meeting of the Baltic Sea Trade Union Network (BASTUN) was held, dedicated to issues of social, democratic, and defense security in the region. National trade union from Baltic countries, experts, and representatives of international trade unions took part in the discussion. Belarus was also represented at the event.

Yauheni Dzenisenka, an activist with the Salidarnast Association, spoke to Salidarnast about how new technologies are shaping the labor market—and why workers need trade union support.

There were around 12 thousand people taking part in the Bremen marathon, including two of our fellow-countrymen, Pavel Sakalouski and Yauheni Dzenisenka, in the 10 km leg of the run who used the opportunity to draw attention to the issue of ongoing repressions in our country. That is why they came to the starting line wearing sweatshirt that featured the call for “Freedom to Political Prisoners in Belarus”.

On October 7-8, 2025, the Warsaw office of the Polish Metalworkers’ Union (FZZ) hosted a workshop on digitalization organized by the ITUC PERC Youth Committee. Trade union activists discussed issues related to the rapid development of the AI and its impact on the world of work.

The Special Envoy of the ILO DG for Belarus Lelio Bentes Corrêa, has embarked on his mission.

The name of Volha Brytsikava, the former union leader of the BNP workplace affiliate at the Naftan oil refinery, has become a symbol of fortitude and human dignity. Convicted on trumped-up charges and listed as a “terrorist”, she remains unbroken even behind the barbed wire.

Speaking of prerequisites for change, we often focus on individuals and tend to underestimate the role of institutions. Global experience shows that a most relevant role in a peaceful transformation can be played by trade unions – but the real ones, not their simulacra.

On September 19, 2025, Amsterdam saw the International Solidarity Festival organized by the Netherland’s largest trade union, the FNV. The event brought together union activists from over 15 countries, including Surinam, India, Uganda, the USA, Kenya, Columbia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Belarus.

The political prisoner Vatslau Areshka has gone almost completely blind yet he is unable to gain disability status in prison

Gennady Fedynich (Hennadz Fiadynich in Belarusian transliteration), long-time leader of the independent Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP), was one of many Belarusian trade unionists imprisoned in the crackdown on free unions. Last week, he was unexpectedly taken from prison in Babruisk, transported under guard to Minsk, and then deported to Lithuania along with other 52 political prisoners.

In their interview to “Salidarnast”, the two union leaders speak of what was most difficult for them in jail, why other prisoners would address by their patronymics, how they managed to survive punitive isolation cells, and why the Belarusian authorities have taken their passports away.

On 11 September, 52 political prisoners were released in Belarus. Among them were two key figures of the independent trade union movement: Aliaksandr Yarashuk, Chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), and Hennadz Fiadynich, former head of the Belarusian Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP).

On August 29, 2025, a pre-session on Belarus was held in Geneva within the framework of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Maria Zharilovskaya made an intervention at the event as a representative of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP).

On 29 August, an explosion occurred in a boiler unit at the “Khimvalakno Plant,” a branch of JSC "Grodna Azot". Two employees of the enterprise sustained severe injuries.

The Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) has extended its congratulations to the Polish trade union “Solidarność” on the occasion of its 45th anniversary. The congratulatory letter was signed by Acting Chair Maksim Pazniakou and Deputy Chair Siarhei Antusevich.