Worker Who Demanded Salary Raise Bullied At Minsk Tractor Plant

The trade union activist who demanded that the salary for painters should be raised is accused of rebellion and corruption of the working collective.

Head of the painting unit No. 91 Ruslan Kryvitski and acting forewoman Valiantsina Luschik are collecting signatures under the appeal to transfer painter Natallia Anikeyeva to another workplace. The worker who demanded raising of salaries for painters is accused of rebellion and corruption of the working collective, informs praca-by.info.

In February 2016, worker of the painting unit No. 91 Natallia Anikeyeva (she has taken her husband’s surname recently – Dziamidava) together with her colleagues founded the primary REP trade union organization. The workers hoped to achieve raising of wage rates and improvement of labour conditions. The plant’s administration refused to hold a dialogue with the trade union so the workers appealed to the Ministry of Industry, which set up an inspection at the plant.

The workers complained about low wage rates. The trade union specialists have calculated that if painters properly follow the technological process in their work they won’t be able to earn more than Br 1,7 million. To increase incomes, workers have to commit violations which affect the quality of production in the end.

Natallia Anikeyeva fears the results of the Ministry’s inspection and worries about her colleagues’ destiny, because representatives of the administration tried to shut her up during the visit of the inspecting commission.

– I said I was not a financial expert and it was the very reason I suggested to hold a dialogue with my trade union. They started shouting I had miscalculated something, provided false information, led the people into misconception, let them down. I don’t know how this story with the inspection from the Ministry ends up. Of course, if they really wanted to hear about our problems, they heard. We were not allowed to talk much, but I managed to point out the key issues actually, – Natallia Anikeyeva has said.

The other day Natallia found out that they had been forcing people to sign an appeal to transfer her to another workplace. Head of the painting unit No. 91 Ruslan Kryvitski and acting forewoman, 62-year-old Valiantsina Luschik are collecting the signatures.

Ruslan Kryvitski, clarifying the aim of his actions referred to the people, stated he had nothing to do with it and hang up.

– I am not collecting anything. It was the people’s initiative. They’ve had enough. She interferes with the working process, keeps summoning some additional meetings, distracting people from work. Moreover, there is only one correspondent whose questions I can answer. This is our plant newspaper correspondent, I will answer all his questions, – head of the painting unit said and hang up without saying goodbye.

Natallia Anikeyeva explains that most of the people who signed the appeal do not know her well, have practically no common working issues so she cannot possibly distract them from work.

– This letter has been signed by the people who are only on the books as painters, but I do not come across them actually. They are adjusters, cleaners, painters-technicians – they have nothing to do with actual painting. There is no way I can interfere with them. I am explaining this so that you realize the hugeness of the infamy that is going on. Among them there are notorious bootlickers who are considered the bosses’ friends, provoke other workers for fights and scandals by insulting them, and then they just get away with everything. Meanwhile, those who lost temper and responded to the insults just get ousted from the plant, – the worker has said.

Natallia realizes that a real campaign has been organized against her, the aim of which is to get her fired. However, she is worried about the people as they have been put under pressure and intimidation since long ago.

– They would have got rid of me long ago if they could. They are frightening people with optimization or non-renewal of contracts. For instance, Kryvitski would ask the husband of my colleague how much time she had before her contract expired. Forewoman Luschik told us there was a lady who had been forced to retire when she reached 55. There is a very tense atmosphere in the workshop. Of course, I didn’t expect that some people would sign this letter against me, as I fought to protect their interests, too. Still, I seem to have been mistaken – these people did sign, and that was mean. Of course I asked them why they had done so. Some of them said they hadn’t read the paper they signed, others confessed they had been pressed. I don’t know whether it is true, but the problem is, everybody thinks now that I have been smashed down. Surely there are people who support me. Not just my brigade, many other workers also refused to sign this filthy letter, in which they accuse me of rebellion and corruption of the working collective. I am really worried about them, many of them are so depressed now, – the lady says.

Natallia Anikeyeva’s brigade have addressed to Head of workshop Aliaksandr Skaryna asking to step in to save the situation.

– His welcoming words were “Am I seeing all those who signed the appeal to the Ministry?” He pretended he didn’t know anything. He asked, who put pressure? He said he had heard some rumours, promised to talk. However, his promises do not seem to be worthy of trust. When we asked what would happen to the people he said “You knew what you were getting into”. What is that supposed to mean? A threat, a warning, or a statement of fact that everything has already been decided about us?”

Natallia says she knew from the start what she was getting into but still hoped for justice. Now, she is very worried about her brigade’s destiny, about the people:

– I would be happy if they don’t touch the people, I am so much afraid they can fire them, or optimize, as the bosses call it. The administration will find a loophole to get rid of the people it doesn’t need. All those who supported me realize they would become the needless ones soon. What outrages and scandalizes me is that one person who really manufactures goods and does something for the plant has 60 people who supervise him doing nothing. They have occupied their positions and fear no optimization, no shortenings, no retirement age. They feel not just impunity, they feel power. Their goal is not to let an independent trade union win, because all workers will join REP then. I would really like my trade union to get through to the plant and prove my every word. I am not a specialist but I see what is going on and they tell me that what I see is wrong. The trade union remains my only hope, – Natallia Anikeyeva has summarized.