Delayed salaries and exodus of workers at Gomselmash

The plant doesn't have money even to buy paper to print drawings.

Charter97.org learnt it from the plant's employees.

“Bonuses for technical and engineering employees were reduced by 50% in July. Engineers began to quit. The management decided to pay an additional bonus for design engineers and production engineers. The plant doesn't have money to buy paper to print drawings. But New Year's decorations become better every year,” he noted.

It's the first time in the past 8 years when the plant has delayed wages, the worker says.

“The usually paid salary by the 21st day of a month, the latest date was the 22nd day. It's December 26 now, but we didn't receive wages. They spoilt Christmas for our Catholic workers. We cannot pay utility bills and loans. Some employees receive child allowances with wages. Their families were left without means of sustenance. There are rumours at the plants of Gomselmash production association that salaries won't be paid until December 27. It violates both the collective employment agreement, which says wages should be paid by the 25th day of a month, and the individual employment agreements, according to which salaries should be paid by the 26th day of a month,” the plant's worker said.

A representative of Gomselmash's financial department said to a charter97.org correspondent the salaries would be paid “tomorrow”.

It's not the first case of delaying wages at Belarusian plants. Workers of Minsk-based Amkodor Belvar plant went on a strike protesting against delayed wages and layoffs in late November. A worker of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railways company reported in early December about late wages and threats from the management.

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