Mass Turmoil About to Rock Plants :: Charter'97 :: News

Trade union committee of the Gomel engine plant on behalf of a thousand plant’s workers claimed readiness for mass actions of protest. Trade union chair Alexander Kizev says that the employees are indignant over the extended payment delays. A few days ago the company’s administration managed to pay to the workers their August monies. Their indebtedness for September amounts to 75mln. rubles. In two weeks time from now the administration is supposed to pay the October money, which is hardly realistic.

The employees are also troubled by spreading rumors that in the near future another 100 of them will be made redundant, which is 10% of their total number. Using as a pretext art.32 of the Labor Code, the administration forces the workers to file in resignation out of their own will, which is quite a sly trick on its behalf. In this case the workers have no right for a three-months monetary compensation. These troublesome issues were raised for discussion at yesterday’s negotiations between the administration and the trade union committee with the participation of a large number of workers.

The employees insist on a visit to their factory by a competent commission, which would find out why the company got into financial shambles, despite the proclaimed growth of production turnover. If left unsatisfied, their claims will ultimately lead to a massive wave of protest.