“Belkelme” Employees: They Make Us Quit As Agreed By Parties

The Belarusian-Spanish footwear manufacturer bites the dust.

“Belkelme” is undergoing the liquidation procedure now. The Vitsebks brand “Marko” has created an enterprise called “Verdimar” at its place. The employees of “Belkelme”, and there are no less than 400 people there, have been assured that all of them will find new jobs. “They promised to transfer us to the new enterprise and now they make us quit voluntarily and put us on the record at the labor registry office,” — one of the enterprise’s employees has told to onliner.by.

— Everyone found out that there will be reorganization at our enterprise some two months ago, — says the guy who asked not to reveal his name. — After that, the enterprise worked for one day a week in connection with the reorganization. They paid salaries of about Br 1,7 million. The bosses promised that everyone would be transferred to the new enterprise. But then, literally within the two last days they told people they should sign the quit notes as agreed by parties. Now they are telling us they will register us at the labor registry office and then re-employ to the new enterprise. However, what is this labor registry office? This is not a dead-set fact that they will re-employ us, there are no guarantees that they keep the work record, the employment years etc.

Chairman of Biaroza district executive committee Leanid Martyniuk says that no “Belkelme” employee will be left unemployed.

—I don’t like speaking to the media by phone, so I won’t give you any comment on the situation, — Leanid Martyniuk has noted by the phone. — I will tell you just one thing. There was a meeting between the directive board of “Marko” and us together with “Belkelme”. We told the people what to do and what the transfer scheme was. All the personnel will eventually get there, but through the labor registry office. There is no problem there, all the people will be employed, and the issue will be solved. The work record and the employment years will not be interrupted. If someone wants to stay at “Belkelme”, let is be so. However, we will liquidate the enterprise, and this person will be fired due to liquidation. We, on the contrary, are offering the people an opportunity for employment and smooth transfer to another enterprise.

The well-known manufacturer of sports shoes appeared in Belaaziorsk a little less than 20 years ago. The company grew, opened 13 company stores and 46 sections in commercial networks. However, the situation deteriorated every year. The volume of production in constant prices in 2014 compared to 2013 was about 50% in the first half of 2015 - 70% over the same period last year. The warehouses were full of unsold products: eight average monthly volumes.

In the end of last year, the officers of the State Control Committee inspected “Belkelme”. 9 criminal cases under Article 237 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (cajolement of credit), 7 of them — against the director of the enterprise and 2 — against his deputy, were started upon the results of this inspection.

To receive financial support, and to improve the situation inside the company, they provided false information to the bank (the number of credit agreements corresponds to the number of criminal cases). Subsequently, they were merged into a single criminal case. As a result, the managers were punished in the form of a minimum fine of 300 base fees (Bn 6300). Currently, the company's director performs his duties.

As a result, "Belkelme" enters into holding "Marko". It plans to produce not just sport shoes, but also the footwear for recreation and beach. Still, it remains unknown whether the very brand “Belkelme” will exist any longer.