Report on COVID-19 from Belarus

By the Belarusian Trade Union of Energy, Gas and Fuel Industry Workers Chairman, Uladzimir Dziklou.

As of May 28, 2020, 38956 cases of the COVID-19 were registered in Belarus, 214 people have died, and 15923 have recovered.

No quarantine has been introduced in Belarus; however, measures are being taken to prevent and reduce the spread of acute respiratory infections, including those caused by the COVID-19. Trade unions together with employers have strengthened hygiene standards’ compliance monitoring at enterprises and organizations. Moreover, working schedules have been changed aiming to exclude mass crowding, work-related meetings and seminars are mostly held using video and audio conferencing, and employees’ business trips have been limited.

Special anti-coronavirus pandemic measures have been implemented to ensure the stability of the economic and social spheres. Due tax credits’ payments have been postponed or put onto installment plan basis, private entrepreneurs can change the taxation scheme and recalculate taxes due to temporary non-implementation of entrepreneurial activity, office rent rates have been fixed with temporary prohibition to increase it and possibility for postponed rent payments. In addition, local governments have been provided with the right to reduce property taxes.
To help workers, trade unions in all sectors have established special cash desks. 50 percent of trade union budget is now allocated using these cash desks. The money has been transferred to medical institutions and to the most vulnerable union members in organizations facing the most critical economic situation (for example, to trade union members in organizations, which have temporarily stopped operating).

– “Workers layoffs are unacceptable. Today, trade unions of all levels together with employers are working to save jobs and ensure decent salaries for the future”, stated the Belarusian Trade Union of Energy, Gas and Fuel Industry Workers Chairman Uladzimir Dziklou.

The Belarusian Trade Union of Energy, Gas and Fuel Industry Workers has transferred more than 143 thousand USD to the medical workers’ assistance charity account.