Zabudova workers have to buy food on credit

The situation at the company is getting worse. Workers haven't been receiving salaries on time for more than a year.

Charter97.org learnt it from employees of the management company of Zabudova holding.

“We work for the management company of Zabudova holding in the village of Chysts of the Maladzechna district. We haven't been receiving our salaries on time for many months (since November 2013). Under employment contracts, we should receive salary every 25th day of a month. But we get only a miserable part of wages (from 500,000 to 1 million) or don't receive money at all on this day. The employer pays the remaining part in small installments during some days or weeks. We appealed to the employer over the problem, but it was in vain. The trade union cannot do anything. Today is December 10, but we haven't received our salary for October.

We have received only 1,200,000 in three installments. No one says when we can get the rest. Managers say it is due to previous owners of the company that we have financial problems. But none of the controlling bodies of the Minsk region and Belarus launches an inquiry. Why? Why has nothing changed since the visit of the Minsk region governor to the plants? The only result was a reshuffle among top managers. We have the second general director this year. The rest top managers just swap their posts in the holding. No one bears responsibility for failure to pay wages,” Zabudova workers say.

They do not understand why company heads are not brought to account for numerous violations of labour legislation.

“They don't make advance payments, don't give special clothes, though workers of several departments of our plants work outdoors in cold and rain. Even they don't receive clothes. They also stopped giving personal protection equipment and personal hygiene items. Why does the employer have the right to violate the laws of Belarus? Why aren't they brought to account for sytematic (monthly) violations of labour legislation? Directors are punished for negligence all over the country, but nothing is made at our holding,” workers write.

People have no money to buy food, pay utility bills and loans.

“It looks like workers will mark the New Year without salaries. What should we do? How can we feed our families? Some workers who live in the village of Chysts have to buy food on credit in local shops. Many are not allowed to buy on credit, because they already owe much money to the shop. Many workers do not pay utility bills and loans, they have no money to pay for the kindergarten and school for their children. People are in despair,” workers say.