MAZ introduces four-day weeks and cuts salaries

The Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) hasn't solved a problem of sales.

Fridays are declared days off starting November 15 until the end of the year, Nasha Niva newspaper learnt from a source at the plant. These days will be paid at the rate of 2/3 of the salary. Salary cuts won't hit workers involved in bus production.

“We haven't seen the order yet. It was prepared secretly. We didn't suspect anything until this morning,” a worker says. “The shop manager says all Fridays until December 20 will be paid at the rate of 2/3 of the salary.”

December 27, 30 and 31 were declared unpaid days off.

Some narrow specialists were warned they would work on requests on Friday. For example, only two persons are needed, so they will work and get the full salary, while the others will have a day off.”

Like at the beginning of the year, the reason for introducing four-day working weeks is problems with sales and excess inventory.

“No one buys trucks and buses. The plant has no money to buy components, so it has to cut expenses,” the plant worker says.

Aliaksei Dzerashou, an aide to the general director, says “the final decision hasn't been taken”, but it will be announced today or tomorrow.

MAZ worked four days a week for several months this year. The decision was made by the plant managers in February. Fridays on march 15, 22 and 29 were moved to Saturdays October 19, November 9 and 20 for 2013 for workers of all MAZ units, workers of the foundry, the forging and bus plants and MAZ branches – the service centre, the trading house, the hotel complex and the culture centre.

Nevertheless, workers don't work on Saturdays and Fridays were declared days off.