60,000 Belarusians forced to take unpaid leave

The number of workers who have to work shorter weeks has doubled.

It follows from the data published by the National Statistical Committee.

The number of workers who took unpaid or partially paid leave in January was 59,614 people, which is 56.5% more than in January last year.

As many as 43,908 Belarusians worked short weeks, which is 127.4% more than in the same period last year.

The number of Belarusians who didn't work full shifts or full working days in January was 72,150 people. The statistics for the same period in 2014 is unavailable.

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.

In 2014, 146,100 workers of industrial enterprises had to work part-time, which was 39.8% more in comparison to 2013. 98.4% cases of forced part-time work fall on manufacturing enterprises.