Trade Unions in Belarus in Exile – The Struggle Continues Despite the Regime’s Iron Grip
- Salidarnast Belarus
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
In the shadow of the war in Ukraine, repression in Belarus has intensified. Trade union activists have become prime targets. Many have been imprisoned, while others have been forced to continue their work from exile. But even four years after all trade union organizations were banned, the determination to change Europe’s last dictatorship remains as strong as ever.
From Minsk to Bremen
On the third floor of an office building in the old Hanseatic city of Bremen, it’s an early morning in late March. Coffee is brewing, a phone is ringing, colleagues are chatting. On the surface, it’s an ordinary workplace – but what goes on here is truly unique. Since 2022, these three office rooms have served as the base for some of Belarus’s most prominent trade union activists. From here, they work to speed up the release of their imprisoned friends and colleagues, conduct international advocacy, and run trade union education programs. Their work is supported by organizations such as Union to Union.
“There are still many people who don’t know what’s happening in Belarus. We must spread the word – people need to understand that there are no free unions left. There are no independent organizations at all,” says Maryia Taradzetskaya, former vice-chair of a public sector trade union in Belarus.
Persecution and Exile
It’s now been four years since the mass arrests of trade union activists in Belarus. Maryia herself was in Berlin studying for a master’s degree when her colleagues in Minsk were imprisoned. Not long after, all trade union organizations in the country were banned. Returning home was no longer an option.
One by one, more of her colleagues managed to make it to Germany, where they formed Salidarnast – an organization that now continues the vital work once led by the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP).
Salidarnast works to secure the release of imprisoned trade union colleagues and other political prisoners in Belarus. Back home, their efforts are thwarted at every turn – not least by the so-called “yellow unions,” organizations closely aligned with the regime’s interests.
“When it comes to protecting workers’ rights in Belarus, we’re back to the level of the 1990s. The official trade unions are just a façade – they function as an extension of the regime and spread state propaganda. In practice, they represent the interests of employers, not employees,” says Maryia Taradzetskaya.
Resistance Lives On
In exile, Salidarnast has succeeded in gathering and mobilizing the Belarusian trade union movement and has kept the regime’s violations on the international agenda. In 2023, they contributed to the International Labour Organization (ILO) taking the historic step of invoking Article 33 against Belarus for severe violations of trade union rights. Their constant goal has been the release of political prisoners – many of whom have been sentenced to inhumanly long prison terms of 12 years or more.
The Exile Dilemma
Carrying out activist work in exile is not a simple matter for Belarusian dissidents. Many see exile as a necessary space for free action and international mobilization. Others argue that real change must be driven from within the country – despite the immense risks.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian opposition and one of the most prominent figures in the democracy movement, reflects on this dilemma in the documentary "The President in Exile." She speaks about the internal conflict of being a leader in exile, far from the people she represents, while knowing that working openly inside Belarus is impossible without risking imprisonment or worse. One thing is clear: even exile activism comes at a high price.
“All my property has been confiscated, and I’m charged under a law that’s often used to criminalize peaceful protest by claiming disruption of public order. But the worst part is that my daughter can’t see her father,” says Maryia Taradzetskaya.
Propaganda, Threats – and Humor
In another room of the Bremen office, a few of Maryia’s colleagues are busy producing content for the organization’s social media. In addition to informing the international community about what’s happening in Belarus, Salidarnast also tries to counter the widespread propaganda within the country. It’s difficult work, especially considering that even a “like” can be dangerous.
“You can be stopped at any time on the street by the security police, who may demand to see what apps you use and what you’ve liked or commented on social media. But we know we can still reach a large audience,” says one man, who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisals against relatives in Belarus.
He shows one of the regime’s propaganda videos, reminiscent of North Korea. Everyone in the room bursts out laughing at the ridiculous lyrics, roughly translated into Swedish as “Our daddy is the best”, performed by a military orchestra. Lukashenka may rule the country with an iron fist, but he has neither control over humor nor over the will to fight for change among the trade union activists at Salidarnast.
Text by: Malin Fagerberg Wikström
Source: uniontounion.org
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