Employers’ responsibility in investigating industrial accidents to be strengthened in Belarus
The procedure for investigating industrial accidents will change in Belarus from January 1, 2026. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has approved a new instruction. Supervision will be carried out by the Department of the State Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labor of Belarus.
According to the new rules, most accidents that occur during working hours will be investigated jointly with employers. Group cases, fatal accidents, and accidents that cause serious occupational injuries are subject to special investigation by state labor inspectors.
From 2026, the Department of the State Labor Inspectorate will get the right to hand over to employers the demands to eliminate of violations if they do not voluntarily correct the identified deficiencies. Failure to comply with the requirements entails the imposition of a fine in the amount of 10 to 50 base units (a nominal standard that is used to calculate the amount of certain state duties, taxes, payments and fines).
GCTU News
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A Unified Registry of Collective Agreements Should Be Established in the CIS
A unified registry of collective agreements in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will enable the regulation of labor relations at a cross-border level, according to the General Confederation of Trade Unions. The proposal by GCTU to include the creation of such a registry in the draft Plan of Activities for the Year of Social Development and Quality of Life in the CIS was approved by participants of the working group of the Advisory Council on Labor, Employment, and Social Protection of the Population of the CIS Member States. The working group meeting took place today at the CIS Executive Committee in Minsk, using video conferencing.
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Nominal Wages in the CIS Show Steady Growth
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan lead with the highest growth rates
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have recorded the highest growth in nominal average wages in the CIS, with increases of 27.5% and 20.3%, respectively, compared to the first half of last year.
Experts from the GCTU analyzed wage data in the CIS, published in the latest report Socio-Economic Situation of the CIS Countries in the First Half of 2026 by the CIS Statistical Committee.
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Belarusian Trade, Consumer Cooperation and Entrepreneurship Workers' Union Turns 95
The Trade, Consumer Cooperation and Entrepreneurship Workers' Union of the Republic of Belarus celebrated its 95th anniversary on July 31. Today, the union unites over 143,000 industry workers across the country, with 1,681 primary trade union organizations. The union reliably protects the rights of industry workers in the Republic and actively operates on the international stage as part of the International Confederation of Trade Unions of Workers in Trade, Catering, Consumer Cooperation, and Various Forms of Entrepreneurship.