Independent Trade Union: “Cvetotron” Workers Deserve Bigger Wages

The administration of the Brest factory “Cvetotron” prefers to keep the workers on the minimum wage.

“Cvetotron” JSC in Brest plans to move to the premises of the special design bureau “Zapad”, which is also a part of the “Integral” holding. The superiors say that the problem of huge expenses caused by the necessity to pay for the service of the areas that are not used, will be solved after moving to another ground, and this will provide an opportunity to raise the wages of the workers.

– I am not as optimistic as the administration; I don’t think this will save the situation. Leaving the plant’s premises, the enterprise will have to pay the rent at the new place. And, most importantly, there are still big problems with orders. Luckily, today there is this huge order from “Homselmash” for the production of on-board computers. The enterprise will be loaded with work till the end of the first quarter next year, but it remains unknown what happens next. That is why the future of “Cvetotron” makes us worry, – Deputy Chairman of the Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry Workers Zinaida Mikhniuk has told praca-by.info.

– The organization of the Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry Workers continues its activity at “Cvetotron”, although it is not as big as we would want it (the discrimination against the workers on grounds of their membership in a trade union, arranged by the bosses of "Integral", seems to have left its consequences), so we are aware of the problems of people. The most painful question today is the level of salaries. I think that the people, who do 80% of work for the production, deserve to receive more than a minimum wage. Their wages must meet at least the middle of the plant (according to the journalists, it is Bn 350).

As the Deputy Chairman of Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry Workers has noted, the cause of the decline of the once powerful enterprise was that it failed to readjust in time and to find new orders.

– "Cvetotron" is a highly specialized company. This is not the issue of bread and milk, which are always in demand and for which you can always raise prices. The administration could not find the necessary orders in time, and skilled workers appeared in a difficult situation, - Zinaida Mikhniuk has said.

Let us note that in the 80s, when the "Cvetotron" started working, it employed more than 6000 people. Today there are only about 240.