Workers at some of Belarus’ biggest manufacturers, including automaker BelAZ, have called for strikes to protest over the results of a controversial election and subsequent crackdown on opposition by the country’s government.
A group of BelAZ workers staged a protest at the company plant near the capital Minsk, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene. They wanted the entire plant to go on a strike in response to a continued crackdown on anti-government activists in Belarus. Others gathered for a separate rally outside the plant to support the demonstration of the workers.
БелАз скандирует «уходи!» pic.twitter.com/FJ4I4wVhs3
— Чай з варэннем (@belteanews) August 13, 2020
Протесты на БелАЗе. pic.twitter.com/3WzHrFh08N
— TUT.BY (@tutby) August 13, 2020
Management at BelAZ downplayed the protest, saying it amounted to nothing more than a meeting between them and the workers, who wanted their demands to be heard.
There are reports that Белаз one of #Belarus’ biggest industrial plant (10,000+ workers) would have started striking.
Several videos show lots of workers coming out of the factory buildings. pic.twitter.com/kDhEKs2I3b— Matthieu Henkens (@MattHenkens) August 13, 2020
Opposition media were quick to describe the events as a much-anticipated national strike that will put pressure on the Belarusian government. Similar worker protests were reported at other major plants in the country, including construction material maker Keramin, fertilizer producer Grodno Azot, and others.
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Source: RT