Mass dismissals at ОАО Ivatsevichdrev

Wages decreased, warehouses are full of finished goods.

Woodworking modernized plant is in crisis. Workers say 300 people are dismissed. Dismissed loader Siarhei Duboiski told Radio Svaboda about it.

About 1000 people work at OAO Ivatsevichdrev in Ivatsevichy, Brest region. A few years ago there was opened a new shop. In 2012 Aliaksandr Lukashenka came there with an inspection. He dismissed the Director Barys Mikhnyuk and appointed Uladzimir Shulha, the ex-Director of the Bellesbumprom, to run the enterprise. Public dismissal of an honorary resident of the town was discussed in Ivatsevichy. Many workers expressed their regret about this.

At once Uladzimir Shulha, Siarhei Duboiski says, gave a raise. The loader of wood particle boards shows papers which prove he was paid out Br8-9 millions in 2013.

Now the salary is hardly reach Br3 million. In March 2015 Siarhei Duboiski had to get Br2.8 million.

"They say when Mikhnyuk was dismissed, he had a nest egg of about Br5 billions, something like for a rainy day. Shulha immediately spent it to raise salaries. Well, how to do it? Where did he take this money from?" Siarhei Duboiski says.

Employees relate the crisis with deliveries to Russia.

"All warehouses are full of finished production. There are no sales. - There is no job. They opened a new workshop for production of boards at an old plant. But these boards are good for no one now. Everything rots. Wood particle boards are not in demand now. Russia refused to buy because of high price", the employee says.

Siarhei Duboiski has two children, the youngest one is only 8 months old, his wife is on maternity leave. He says he used to be a breadwinner.

He was asked whether he was afraid to speak directly of the situation at the plant. Siarhei Duboiski said he had nothing to lose. Having lost his job, he plans to move to another town because he did not manage to find another job in Ivatsevichy.

"Speaking frankly, I should not have been laid off, I have a baby and my wife is on maternity leave. But I do not argue, I do not see prospects here. I will leave. Why do they lay people off? They got in bad with us. It all started when I wrote a complaint to the President Administration. They built a new dormitory for plant workers and I was trying to get an apartment there, went to the director, but was denied. Well, I have a child. Then I decided to write Lukashenka", Siarhei Duboiski tells.

The response from the Administration was redirected to the Ivatsevichy District Executive Committee, but the problem was not resolved. He lives in a rented apartment and pays $50.

After his complaint the management started to treat him warily. He repeatedly protested when workers were forced to do work out of their duties. So he was in the first wave of dismissals.

"I worked without penalties, never appeared drunk at work, I am not an alcohol abuser. Who should be dismissed first? Those who have penalties. There are some alcoholics, but they still work... I was thrown out a hint if I was so clever and wrote letters to Lukashenka, then I should be dismissed", he explains.

Journalists asked Ludmila Pyliak, the Deputy Director General for Ideology and Personnel, for details about mass dismissals. She said it was just rumors.

"It's just a rumor, only if the worker knows more. There are some layoffs, like everywhere else, but not 300 people", she said.

It should be reminded that recently many enterprises have taken a short work week and employees have been forced to take unpaid leaves. Thus, since early March charter97.org has received complaint from such enterprises as Gomselmash, Osipovichi Automobile Units Plant, Svetlogorsk Ferro-Concrete Plant, Bobruisk Plant of Tractor Parts and Units, Mogilevtransmash, Strommashina, MTZ, Gomeldrev, Minsk Bearing Plant, Belarusian Railways, OAO Vitebsk products and others.