Andrey Stryzhak: We'll Stand Against the Pension Reform, People Say

The independent REP Trade Union analyzed protest sentiments in the society.

Representatives of the independent Radio and Electronic Industry (REP) Trade Union conducted a social survey on attitude of Belarusians towards the retirement age increase.

Charter97.org asked the deputy chairman of the Homel REP branch Andrei Stryzhak to comment on it:

- Almost 1.5 thousand people were interviewed across the country. People of all regions and all types of settlements participated. Our Trade Union wondered about people's attitude towards Decree No. 534 regarding the pension reform in Belarus. One of objectives was to learn a real level of awareness of Belarusians about the reform, to learn how much people know about amendments to the pension system and some other issues.

I'd like to share figures we got during the survey. For example, 60% respondents said they were willing to express their dissatisfaction with the pension system in one way or another. It does not indicative that other 40% keep silence. There are people who are not ready to express their attitude due to various reasons.

Answers to the question "Who does take the benefit of it?" were also impressed. The questionnaire had three variants: state, officials, ordinary people. Only 1% of respondents chose the variant of ordinary people.

It proves that Belarusians have no illusions about the pension reform. People's response is eloquent.

The figure indicating the number of people ready to stand against the pension system and to take part in events authorized was eloquent. The result is about 16%. It's a very large percentage! Judging by the protest potential, people say: "Yes, we will defend our rights. We will step up."

The practice shows, I mean the events occurred a year ago, Belarusians participate in protests, if their rights are neglected. As a result, the decree on "spongers" was finally abolished and people succeed. However, it is replaced with another, but in this particular situation we have a specific result.

- Many Belarusians may lose their pensions because enterprises fail with deductions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). After all, an employee may not know about the employer's debt. How can Belarusians defend themselves?

- On the one hand, this is violation on the part of an employer. There are no other options. An employer is obliged to cover all payments, both tax ones and his obligations to the NSSF. This is stipulated by the law. This is not the USA when a person makes deductions.

But, on the other hand, I'd like to point out one moment. When you seek a job or already have it, you must control deductions Unfortunately, the state is self-eliminating from control of the sphere. The authorities say they control it, in fact, they do not. As a result, it causes situations when a person finally finds out that no deductions have been made.

One should learn about one's employer and his credit record. As a rule, employers who suffer challenges with deductions to the NSSF have problems in other spheres. For example, you have no fixed contract, only a contractor agreement or something else. As a rule, there is the chain of violations. 100% responsible employers have no problems with the NSSF.

I'd like to stress once again that one should be very careful when placement and have a clear understanding that if one is not registered officially, no deductions to the NSSF will be made.

- Slutsk resident with 30 years of working experience is refused in the work pension. He said that the authorities put pensioners in such a position that "when you work, you are needed, as soon as you become old, do whatever you want." How do you think people can resist the situation?

- As far as I understand, if the situation is not an isolated case, we will respond - we will unite and prove our point, seek changes to the state approach.

To some extent, the current campaign on adoption of the law against age, sex, labour experience discrimination when hiring promotes it.

It will help a person, for example, of 62 years old to win the case, if he is refused in pension and methods of legal regulation has run dry. The law will allow him to finish the missing years. It's not a secret that it is hard to find a job for a person over 45 years old.

I'd like to stress that in the case of the Slutsk resident there is a necessity to turn to human rights defenders, independent Trade Unions for consultations.

There are human rights defenders who can thoroughly get into the issue and help a person. One don't have to fight a problem alone. One should speak out and seek support among those who defend people's rights.