Agricultural Workers Under Slonim Rebelled Against Their Chairman

Today they refused to go to work.

Vitali Sech, the head of the Slonim Center for Bankruptcy and Anti-Crisis Management of the District Executive Committee, was already talking with the workers by the time the newspaper Hazeta Slonimskaya arrived in the village of Novadziaviatkavichy of the same-named agronomical farm of the Slonim district on Wednesday, May 16.

He did not want media representatives to attend the meeting of farm workers, saying that journalists didn't have special permission from the authorities to attend such meetings. All this despite that people themselves called the editorial office and invited journalists to talk about their problems. The workers said that they would not work until the chairman was not removed from office.

In particular, they talked about the attitude of Uladzimir Akulich, the manager of the Novadziaviatkavichy farm, to the workers. So, for example, a woman who provides lunch to workers, was ordered by the head to feed him strictly from 13 to 14 hours daily. In order to feed the chief, she often has to look for him through the forests and fields, although he could eat with the rest of the workers, like everyone else. Also people spoke out about illegal, in their opinion, dismissals of workers. Some said that Uladzimir Akulich simply "tramples on labor legislation."

According to the workers, the head often uses obscene words while talking to his subordinates, regardless of whether he is speaking to a woman or a man. Farm machinery operators said that they had never met such a leader in their entire career.

– A person gives such orders that cows on farms remain hungry, because we simply do not have time to feed them, – the farm workers note.

People raised the issue of wages, too. For more difficult work, the chairman deprives workers of financial benefits. Uladzimir Akulich also didn't let to give out wage slips while he was on a sick leave.

In turn, the director of the Center for Bankruptcy and Anti-Crisis Management Vitali Sech asked all present to make a list of all the problems they face at work. And a regular meeting was scheduled for 7 pm on May 16, on which, according to Vitali Sech, the chairman of the Slonim regional executive committee Henadz Khomich as well as the KGB officers will be present.

On Thursday, May 17, many employees of the agricultural enterprise Novadziaviatkavichy refused to go to work. Agricultural machinery is idle.

Employees of the district executive committee and the police arrived in Novadziaviatkavichy at about 10 am to talk with people.