Mass layoffs on Horizont plant

Minsk-based TV set manufacturer Horizont works with interruptions. More than 100 people have been laid off.

Charter97.org has learnt it from a worker of Horizont plant.

According to him, the plant faced problems some months ago. Some shops, among them the assembly shop, began to work four-day weeks in March. Fridays was declared days off and four working days were moved to autumn, like on MAZ plant.

The situation worsened in April.

“A backdated order has been released saying that the shop will not work until April 15 and worker will receive two thirds of their salaries. Most workers earn slightly more than two million. A friend of mine, an electronics adjuster, earns 1.5 million rubles. How he can live on this money?” the worker says.

The difficult situation was caused by lack of production orders. As a result workers were laid off.

“Our shop used to work two shifts. Our own TV sets are not sold well. We assemble models of foreign firms. Workers are being laid off. Those, whose employment contacts expired in January-March, were dismissed. It is more than 100 people in only our shop,” he says.

Workers expect the plant officials to outline prospects for the plant in the middle of the month.

Horizont's press service declined to give comments to charter97.org and said the information was rumours. However, a copy of a payslip showing a 2.2-million salary in the previous month only proves the worker's words.