Democracy, worker and human rights, and peace itself are in retreat globally. A steady rise of emboldened autocrats worldwide has created a dangerous playbook for governance in which power is concentrated; oligarchs control wealth and information; workers’ rights are eroded; and international laws and standards can be ignored or overruled by force.
The government of Belarus has carried out relentless and systematic persecution of workers and independent unions for decades, leading to the imprisonment of more than 200 trade unionists. The Belarusian struggle is not isolated but rather a global warning. Beginning in 2025, the Minnesota labor movement resisted federal occupation across its state through grassroots coalition-building and demonstrated the power of solidarity in the face of authoritarianism.
What happened in Belarus and Minnesota illustrate what is at stake—and what is possible—globally. Our Belarusian and Minnesotan siblings are a ground-level reminder of how we as a global labor movement defend democracy and move forward—by being unintimidated, living in truth, and not backing down from our commitment to advance worker and human rights.
Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions
For decades, and despite international pressure, the government of Belarus has systematically persecuted workers and independent unions. After the violent suppression of Belarus’ largest anti-government protests in 2020, government authorities intensified their assault on the labor movement: imprisoning union leaders and members on baseless charges; dissolving independent unions, including the independent trade union center Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) and its affiliates; and launching a propaganda campaign to denounce unions as extremist and terrorist organizations.
The ongoing imprisonment of BKDP leaders that followed reflects the sustained repression of organized labor under Belarus’ authoritarian regime. Since 2020, more than 200 labor leaders and activists have been imprisoned. This includes, for example, Aliaksandr Yarashuk, BKDP president and vice-president of the International Trade Union Confederation and member of the Governing Body of the International Labor Organization, who at points of his imprisonment received only one supervised visit per year.
On Sept. 11, 2025, Yarashuk, together with Gennadiz Fedynich, the former head of the Belarusian Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP), and 52 other political prisoners, were freed from jail. Although the Belarusian government portrayed their release as a benevolent gesture, the reality revealed a new level of repression—Yarashuk, Fedynich and several other prominent fighters for democracy were deprived of all their official identification documents, including their Belarusian passports, and deported across the Lithuanian border in their prison clothing. Nearly all Belarusian trade union leaders remain in exile, unable to do their union work or move freely.
Belarus is in many ways a worst-case scenario of authoritarian regimes. Rather than being “Europe’s last dictatorship” as it was once called, it is now a model hub for a growing network of autocratic and kleptocratic states that support each other financially and are run by oligarchs bent on using the global economy to stay in power forever and enrich themselves. The sacrifice and resilience of Belarusian trade unionists deserve recognition, and their continued fight serves as a reminder to live unbowed in the face of intimidation.
As a leading example of the global labor movement’s role in defending democratic rights, the AFL-CIO is pleased to award the George Meany–Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award to the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions.
Minnesota Labor Movement
Communities across the United States are rapidly experiencing the consequences of an authoritarian government. In December 2025, the Trump administration launched a violent and militarized anti-immigrant occupation of Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed two Minnesotans, unlawfully detained countless others, and unleashed weeks of senseless chaos and fear throughout the state’s communities.
Rooted in years of coalition-building, the Minnesota labor movement responded to the federal occupation with phenomenal coordination and effectiveness. As the surge impacted virtually every union and union member, everyone played a critical and unique role in protecting their members and communities. This broad-based coalescing culminated in a powerful and uplifting day of action on Jan. 23, 2026, during which unions showcased the diversity of their strengths. This unprecedented day of direct action was immediately followed by the murder of Alex Pretti, a nurse for Veteran Affairs and AFGE union member, at the hands of a federal agent. The labor movement’s critical infrastructure provided union and community members the space and tools to grieve, organize and fight back for their rights in the wake of Pretti’s murder. Minnesota has and will continue to serve as an inspiring template for what is possible when communities come together and fight for all workers.
For their courage and commitment to fighting for democratic rights, the AFL-CIO is pleased to award the Minnesota labor movement with the George Meany–Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award.