Workers of Babruisk Fiberboard Plant stopped working

300 workers of the plant protest against the decrease in wages.

On March 15, workers of Babruisk  Fiberboard Plant (a branch of BusinessStroiMir LLC) received paysheets and saw their bonuses considerably reduced. Bonus payments, which used to make 40% of the salary, were cut to 20% of the salary for workers and 10% for office personnel, Viasna human rights website reports.

“People began to resent in smoking rooms asking how to feed their children. They began to demand a meeting with the general director and stopped working this morning until the meeting,” Aliaksandr, a worker on the plant, says. “It is not a strike. You may call it a stoppage. The director came to us and asked to understand him: the economic state is difficult and the production plan was not implemented. But our workers fulfil the plan and products are being sold. There must be money! The general director has not appeared yet. We are waiting for him.”

Workers think the problems began after the plant had been purchased by BusinessStroiMir. They say they don't know exactly where their new bosses are: in Mahilou or in Russia.

“The new owners shut production of high-quality wood boards to cut expenses. Customers don't want to buy our new products, but is it the fault of workers?” Aliaksandr woners. “They fulfil their plan. It's not our problem. It was not we who brought the plant to this state.”

About 300 workers work on the plant. They say they are in a desperate situation.

“If new owners cannot cope, we will demand a check by the State Control Committee,” the worker says. “It's interesting to hear what the general director will say.”

Charter97.org tried to contact Andrei Vilchytski, but he was out of the office. His representative declined to comment on the conflict with workers.

Strikes and conflicts on Belarusian plants have become frequent in the last few months. Executive officers try to prevent information about protests from leaking to the media and reports often come later than conflicts take place. A worker of a road construction unit in Mstislau reported yesterday about the strike in late March. Construction workers in Vitebsk went on strike at the beginning of April. The reason for both strikes was low wages.