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Gomselmash worker: Underpaid up to Br1.5 million for a month

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Gomselmash worker: Underpaid up to Br1.5 million for a month

The largest Homel enterprise has been working in a short-term mode more than a year already.

Workers are regularly sent on a compulsory leave. Producers of harvesters had additional days off on April 3, 10, 17 and 25. Sometimes the enterprise operates three days a week, Radio Svaboda informs.

"The situation is complex a little, therefore people are forced into unpaid leaves", a young worker says.

A turner, named himself Leanid, adds wages are falling because of forced leaves.

"If we go on leave for two thirds of tariff, wages, of course, decrease. It happens we are underpaid Br1 million or Br1.5 million. This is a significant blow to the family budget.

There is no metal, componentsб big debts for electricity and gas. There is no prepayment, therefore nobody gives anything for free. Nothing is for free. Pay money and you get it," he says.

Problems at Gomselmash began when it lost state preferences on the issue of agricultural machinery. Last year the situation deteriorated, Russia, which used to be the main consumer of harvesters, suffered a financial crisis and stopped buying in the previous amounts.

Belarusian consumers as well did not properly pay for technique. The government must compensate a part of debt this year.

More than a hundred workers have been laid off since the beginning of the year. For the enterprise with 9 500 staff the number is non-critical. Another thing is that the layoffs are sustainable. Part of workers has not had their contracts extended.

Not long ago Gomselmash workers linked certain hope with supply extension to Ukraine through a joint venture in Kharkov. However, a month ago, the Kharkov tractor plant refused to produce grain harvesters and turned on the Finnish company Sampo Rosenlew to build a more modern machines and sell them not only on domestic, but foreign markets.

This situation is observed not at the Gomselmash only. In particular, the presidium of the Belarusian Trade Union of Workers of Industrial Complex announced that the Belarusian industrial enterprises dismissed more than 10. 000 people. Such industrial giants as JSC Atlant, JSC MAZ, JSC Minsk motor plant and Borisov plant Avtogydrousilitel have had more dismissals than others. About 173 enterprises were inspected and 1184 violations of the Labour Code were revealed.

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