'Italian strike' at Belaruskali

The Belaruskali strike committee on Monday published on its Telegram channel an appeal to miners and other staff asking them... to work!

The workers should work "according to manuals and safety regulations." What does it mean? No strike action?

No. On the contrary, we call on people to support the strike action but in such a way that a person feels confident and calm," Strike Committee's co-chair Anatol Bokun commented to Euroradio. "He can stop working in order to ensure that safety regulations are observed. Luckily or unfortunately, there are many reasons for stopping work because safety is not met."

The Belaruskali workers who decided to launch a strike action are divided into two categories: those who do not work at all and those who are using the work-to-rule tactic also known as the Italian strike.

"Many workers did not come out to the square because they live in rented housing and do not know how they can live on. The people supporting the strike will use the Italian strike tactic. There is a core group of workers who do not work at all. The rest will support the strike working to the rule," Piotr Pechkurou, representative of Mine No 4, told Euroradio.

The Italian strike may seriously hurt an enterprise, while it is very difficult to punish the workers. Technically, they do not violate anything. On the contrary, miners can insist that all safety regulations and work manuals be strictly observed.

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