Railway company worker: I used to enjoy my work, but it is like forced labour camp now

Workers of Belarusian Railway company continue to send complaints to charter97.org.

“I cannot tolerate it any more. Workers of the cultural and sporting centre of Belarusian Railway in Homel haven't received an advance payment for March, though the deadline was February 22. The salary day is coming soon, but we haven't got the advance on our salary. How are people supposed to live?

They gave a small part of wages for the holiday. It was like a handout. They are likely to delay wages for two weeks,” reader Dzmitry writes.

Readers of charter97.org are angry at the statement of Andrei Baravy, a spokesman for Belarusian Railway, who said that workers were not forced to take unpaid leaves.

“He is lying! People are made to take mandatory unpaid leaves, which is presented as their voluntary decision. They can amend your employment agreement and kick you out. All branches of Belarusian Railway in Homel have to take 'voluntary' days off for the second month,” Yahor from Homel writes.

“I am a railway worker in Minsk. Your article is true,” another reader writes.

“I confirm that it is 100% true. I work in the security service at Belarusian Railway. Socially unprotected workers are ordered to take two unpaid days off, while socially protected ones (former military officers, policemen and so on) have three additional days off but only two of them are unpaid. Such 'socially protected' workers should be on pension at 45. They should not take managerial posts and receive pension at the same time, but they want to get pension and salaries as senior managers.

Workers at stations, depots, track maintenance departments and civil facilities departments also have to take 'voluntary' unpaid leaves,” Siarhei writes.

“This is true. I was a car attendant, and I still have many friends at Belarusian Railway,” a reader says.

Readers also report about other problems at Belarusian Railway.

“Workers of the rail car depot in Brest were ordered to take five days off in February and March. Wages were delayed for 2 weeks. The boss said not to bother the accounting department with such 'trifles', otherwise our employment contracts wouldn't be prolonged. We are all slaves,” a reader from Brest writes.

“Drivers cannot reach 100 hours a month in Kalinkavichy. They have to take up to 7 unpaid days off a month, otherwise their employment contracts will be terminated. However, 'right drivers' fulfil the norm,” a reader from Kalinkavichy reports.

“The same in Baranavichy! Slaves are under pressure while bosses enjoy their life. They just change offices until death. They lay off workers while the managing department is overstaffed,” a reader from Baranavichy writes.

“I don't know the situation in general, but workers of the Minsk track maintenance department are made to take two unpaid days off every month, bonuses are small (30%), advance salaries are delayed by almost a week and the staff of department of railway car service will be cut by 20%. As I understand, it's quite well in comparison with other companies. Well, I remember times when Belarusian Railway was like a separate state!” a reader from Minsk writes.

“All departments of Belarusian Railway in Brest have to take unpaid leaves. They reduce the standard performance and cut bonuses every month!” a reader from Brest writes.

“Belarusian Railway is the most corrupt company in the country. It has 50 bosses per worker. The station in Maladzechna has been practising mandatory unpaid leaves for a long time. Those who don't agree will have to quit when their employment contracts expire. The wife of the station master works there as a chief accountant and his daughter works in the personnel department of the locomotive depot. When he was summoned to the prosecutor's office, he divorced and became a member of the regional council. He now can do everything he wants,” a reader from Maladzechna writes.

“Homel's department orders to take unpaid four days off allegedly for family reasons. When will it end?” Siarhei from Homel writes.

“I work at the locomotive depot in Baranavichy. It is an ordinary thing to make us take unpaid leaves. The advance salary was paid in two stages: 300,000 rubles and the remaining part in two days. They threaten to terminate employment contracts if you complain. Mr Marozau, do you know where you lead Belarusian Railway? I used to enjoy my work, but it is like forced labour camp now. They set new requirements and want us to fulfil them, but they pay less,” Aliaksandr from Baranavichy writes.

“Such an outrage can be seen at all state-owned companies. Belarusian railway is not an exception. I don't understand why people continue working there. When I was asked to take an unpaid day off, I filed a resignation notice. I worked in St Petersburg three days later,” another reader writes.

“I heard that Belarusian Railway is bankrupt. Perhaps, Swiss trains and the railway electrification in the Homel direction were too expensive,” a reader says.

Many companies work short weeks or force workers to take unpaid leaves. In the first days of March, charter97.org received complaints from Gomselmash, the Automobile Units Plant in Asipovichy, the Concrete Products Plant in Svetlahorsk, the Tractor Parts and Units Plant in Babruisk, Mogilevtransmash, Strommashina, the Minsk Tractor Plant, Gomeldrev, the Minsk Bearing Plant, Belarusian Railway, Vitebsk Products company and others.