Documentary Exhibition at the Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus

On December 11 and 12, 2025, the International Conference «Modern Economic Challenges and Their Impact on Labor Relations and the Socioeconomic Situation of Workers» and the XI Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus were held. As part of this event, the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus prepared a documentary exhibition on the history of the trade union movement in Belarus, as well as a banner exhibition entitled «Let’s Restore Belarus Together!»

The first trade unions in modern-day Belarus emerged in the 1890s. By 1904, professional associations had been established in virtually all major cities. This year marks the starting point for the trade union movement in Belarus.

A new chapter in the history of the Belarusian trade union movement began

in 1917, concurrently with the establishment of the world’s first state of workers and peasants. After the October Revolution, trade unions achieved what they had been seeking for many years. The Council of People’s Commissars adopted a decree establishing an eight-hour workday, a lunch break of at least an hour, regulations on overtime, and the exclusion of women and minors from night shifts.

The exhibition features informative documents from the collections of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus: Instructions for provincial departments of the Vsesmediksanttrud trade union on youth work; an informational report from the Belarusian Republican Committee of the Union of Agricultural Forestry Workers on the union’s participation in collective farm construction and preparations for the sowing campaign; personal profiles of members of the Plenum of the Council of Trade Unions of Belarus; a summary of union membership coverage among workers across the BSSR; and photographs on the history of trade unions from the collections of the Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents.

The role of trade unions is growing year by year. Every union member can count on assistance and support; they are part of a strong and numerous organization working to strengthen the country’s sovereignty and independence, which is the foundation of social justice.

Congress participants were able to view a thematic exhibition.

1. M.A.Starostenko, Head of the NARB Department, introduces NARB documents to congress delegates.

2. M.A.Starostenko, Head of the NARB Department, introduces NARB documents to congress delegates.

3. V.I.Zubrik, Chairman of the Minsk City Organization of the Belarusian Trade Union of Employees of State and Other Institutions, views the exhibition.

4. NARB documentary and banner exhibitions at the Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus.

5. Congress participants view archival documents.

6. Documentary exhibition on the history of the trade union movement in Belarus.

7. M.A.Starostenko, Head of the NARB Department, introduces Mohammed Yusuf, Vice President of the All-India Trade Union Congress, to the exhibition.