Henadz Fiadynich: People Feel Robbed Leaving Shops

Authorities exploit workers much more for the same money.

Today First Deputy Prime Minister Vasil Matsiusheuski again demonstrated amazing "economic optimism' in the "House of Representatives". The official said that Belarus was gradually moving to the economic recovery.

How justified is the economic optimism of the Belarusian government? Belaruskaya Prauda asked about this the leader of the Independent Belarusian Trade Union of Radioelectronic Industry (REP) Henadz Fiadynich in an interview.

– Are the salaries of workers really growing?

– Salaries formally "grow" due to two factors: the reduction of labor and increased exploitation of workers. Why does not the government report how many people were dismissed from enterprises in 2017? Salaries are "growing" due to rising unemployment: people were dismissed while the salary fund remained the same and was redistributed among those who weren't dismissed.

Moreover, the workers of the Minsk Tractor Plant, MAZ work on weekends, several shifts – they work more for the same salary. The salary grows not due to technological processes, organization of work, but only due to the increasing exploitation of people.

I would advise "economic optimists" to show on one page the figures they are voicing, and on the other – the calculations, from which they’ve turned out.

We must clearly distinguish: such is the workers’ salary, such is the salary of engineering and technical workers, and such is the salary of the leadership. And then there will be complete clarity. Except for irritation, such figures do not cause anything.

– Matsiusheuski says that woodworking and pulp and paper production, the output of chemical products, light industry, engineering industry are recreating...

– The concern Belneftekhim includes both Belaruskali and oil refineries. But in fact, everything is not so smooth in this sphere: workers at the Mozyr Oil Refinery are not raised salaries for a long time, as well as at Belaruskali.

As for wood processing, the government itself admits that "modernization" has had no effect. Maybe, they’ve just started to produce more wood?

– Does Matyushevsky's "optimism" have real grounds?

– There is no movement in the economy, and all the achievements are exclusively made on paper. What kind of optimism can there be? People come out of stores like robbed: what one used to buy for a hundred thousand, is impossible to buy for 10 rubles now. The ordinary workers’ salary has not been risen, and the ordinary citizens are 80% of the working population.