The authorities of the Republic of Belarus are straightforward in their suppression of trade union rights , and the pressures imposed on trade unions and their democratic leaders has increased , so that one can speak about systematic violations of trade union rights in the country . In particular freedom of expression in relation to trade union rights has been denied and heavily suppressed by the authorities , which has resulted in the arbitrary arrests of several trade unionists and also later the dismissal of Aleksandr Bukhvostov , President of the Belarussian Automobile and Agricultural Machinery Workers ' Union ( ASM ) .