Mass layoff on Grodna Azot

Two hundred employees of Khimvolokno complex of Grodno Azot JSC are expected to be laid off.

The company says the measure was caused by the plant modernisation. The old manufacturing technology will be replaced with a new one that requires less labour efforts, Yezhednevnik writes.

Managers held a meeting with workers on Friday, July 12, to discuss the problem of employment. The meeting was emotional – employees don't want to change jobs. The layoff decree was signed on Monday, head of the legal department Aliaksei Hamanchuk says. Viktar Barkouski, the operations manager at the cord and nylon yarn workshop, says there are 35 vacancies in spinning room, but labour conditions are more difficult there.

“I will go on pension in a year,” heat-setting machine operator Natallia says. “I cannot work in the spinning room – it's too difficult for me. What should I do? To work as a cleaner?”

The closure of the heat-setting workshop for modernisation leaves 126 women and 54 men without work. Workers will be laid off on October 1. According to Nina Stasko, the head of the trade union branch at Khimvolokno plant, all male workers will find work in the upgraded workshop, but there are not jobs for women. The employer offers them to work as cleaners and cashiers or take retraining courses. Most people are not happy with the proposals. Some employees may go on pension this year. The list of vacancies will soon appear in the plant lobby.

The upgrading of the cord and nylon yarn workshop is the final stage of the plant modernisation launched in 2003. As the result of the modernisation the heat-setting workshop with old machines is no longer needed.

The modernisation was caused by the higher product quality requirements and the need to increase the competitive ability of the plant products in the international market.

Khimvolokno production and technical complex belongs to Grodno Azot company. The plant produces nylon and polyester fibres and yarns, polyamide-6 and PA-6 based composite materials.

Khimvolokno joined Grodno Azot after ballot voting at the shareholders meeting in April 2011. The merger of two big companies was initiated by the Council of Ministers and Belneftekhim company. The step was taken in a hope to raise operational efficiency of Khimvolokno, which had serious debts to supplies, banks and the state. Officials decided that a more efficient and successful Grodno Azot, which sells raw materials for chemical products, must help loss-making Khimvolokno.