Konstantin Beliy had been working as a guard for three years in the network of Supermarkets “#1” (“47 Parallel”) in the city of Kishinev. Facing numerous violations of workers’ rights, he formed a trade union affiliated to the trade union of Commerce, Catering, Restaurant, Hotel, Service and Consumer Cooperatives Workers’ Union (SindLUCAS), and was elected its Chair. After appealing to Labour Inspection, unlawful withdrawals from the employees’ salaries were stopped. The trade union also tried to negotiate collectively with management on overtime and the employer’s refusal to provide vacation to the employees, as provided for by legislation.
At the end of July Mr. Beliy was disciplinarily punished for agitating workers to join the trade union. On 27 September Beliy was dismissed without the approval of a higher-level trade union as required by Moldavian law. Beliy appealed to the courts, and the case is currently under consideration. The Director of the company reportedly said that she was ready to pay any amount of money to prevent the return of Beliy and the union to the supermarkets.