Saturday, November 08, 2008

Workers' protests to be manipulated for political ends

As I mentioned several days ago, the effects of the worsening world economic crisis may soon lead to workers' strikes and street protests in Ukraine.

The current 'Kommentarii' weekly claims trade unions that are under the control of Party of Regions will use their protests to effect the removal the Tymoshenko government.

Trade unions under control of BYuT will direct their protests against the oligarchic 'fat cats' who own much of Ukraine's industrial base. Many, but by no means all, are PoR donors and supporters.

BYuT's position was expressed by the leader of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine, BYuT parlimentary deputy Mykhaylo Volynets, who claimed there is no reason to "throw out people onto the street". He said that he ready to lead 10 million workers in protest.

The presidium of Central Committee of Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners of Ukraine are to meet on November 12th. Even though it is employers that are breaking agreements forcing employees to take holiday leave early and terminating pay raises, their protests will have an anti-government character.

The Federation of Trade Unions and Trade Union Associations of Ukraine held a press conference recently and complained that trade unions were not consulted prior to a parliamentary bill on minimising the effects of the world financial crisis on the Ukrainian economy being passed. The bill, the Federation claims, rides roughshod over previously agreed workers' rights. Even though it was president Yushchenko who was the author of this bill, the Federation will direct its fire at Yulia Tymoshenko rather that at the president.

In recent days there have been two meetings at the highest level between the goverment and trades unions representatives, the first attended by the minister of labour, and the second by the PM herself, but tripartite talks involving the Federation of Employers of Ukraine have not taken place because its head, PoR VR Deputy and ex-Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko, has, apparently, been away.

The 'Kommentarii' article concludes that PoR are prepared to use trade unions and 'take to the streets' in order to force Tymoshenko out of government with the tacit consent of the President. The prime minister in her turn, is seeking counter-measures and is preparing for 'street battles' too. Whoever's street actions turn out to be more radical will become the leader of the future presidential race even though any possible protests will be irrelevant in solving the problems caused by the world economic crisis.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So the sharks in the Party of Regions still control the sheeple - lock, stock and barrel, minds and bodies.

Re-direct the anger away from the people who so cynically stole everything in sight - the Party of Regions - towards a government that is trying to deal with the devastating after-effects of the raping and pillaging done by the Party of Regions.

People blow up in coal mines and apartment buildings? Don't blame the people who own the mines and apartment buildings - the Party of Regions - blame the government.

Layoffs in steel mills and metals plants? Don't blame the people who acquired them in rigged auctions through abuse of government, who own the steel mills and who skimmed the earnings off for yachts and jets while paying people next to nothing --- blame the government.

I don't think I've ever seen as cynical and calculating a bunch of people as this bunch in Ukraine.

They have no souls, no conscience, no nothing.

It's just a shark in a suit.

Even sharks have more grace.

Too bad the sheeple are still falling for this kind of cynical machination.

Anonymous said...

Yushchenko is a leader without followers.

Faced with mounting opposition from within his won party Yushchenko has shown signs of backing down from his demand for another round of Parliamentary elections.

Yushchenko has taken the country again to the brink of the abyss and in the process he has seriously undermined public confidence in his presidency.

Democracy is not a play thing or a tool of power to be wilded recklessly without thought or purpose.

The best option would be for Yushchenko to resign for the sake of Ukraine and to allow Yatseniuk to take over the presidency in order to restore confidence and respect to Ukraine's highest office.

Come July next year Yushchenko will lose power and authority to dismiss the parliament.

Yushchenko will not be reelected to a second term of office and by resigning now he will avoid the situation of further instability and ineffectiveness and will allow time for refection and building up of support for the election of a new president in the new year.