Gomeldrev employees: No work, no wages

The largest woodworking enterprise runs in a restricted mode.

Only some manufacturing departments and services were operating. Other workers were sent on an unpaid leave on March 2, Radio Svaboda reports.

"We work as much as we can. We have a downtime. Today I am on vacation with a two third pay. Do you think Gomeldrev is the only enterprise in such a situation? In my opinion, in a few words, the enterprise just not get enough demand", one of the workers said.

Some woodworkers are surprised that the company has received large credits for renovation and is now idle.

"It turns out that they have invested huge funds without getting a proper result. The modernization plan has not been looked deeper into: does it make any sense to invest million dollars and then do not work? Money does not come from heaven. It is all done due to people's money. Definitely, they believe everything will be well. But given the current crisis in Russia, the situation will deteriorate", workers say.

The company with its furniture, plywood, prefabricated wooden houses, fancy battens and sawn woods is primarily focused on Belarusian and Russian markets. Solid wood furniture has been supplied to some other countries. However, the situation has changed in the most important markets, and the enterprise with its expensive furniture is stuck in a difficult situation.

One of Gomeldrev chiefs comments on the situation:

"Some departments operate, some does not. Everybody will be working on Monday. It seems like we have the worst situation. Every enterprise has its own difficulties".

Gomeldrev workers believe low sales and inability to settle accounts for electricity and heat are among the reasons for downtime.

"There are no sales, but debts for electricity. Working light is left, but power units and equipment are not allowed to use. They tell about some limits".

The interlocutor says that plywood-match factory did not work in February:

"In February there was a week downtime and now all the same. Plywood department is fully loaded. There was almost no shipment".

Workers complain that now they are paid out a little more than Br2 million, it's half of a previous salary. The subsistence equals to Br150 thousand:

"It's awful! Everyone suffers. There are no sales. And as a result we can't get our money. The subsistence equals to Br150 thousand. We feel like ripping and tearing. How could it have happened that a woodworking plant has such subsistence? And it is still unknown whether we will be working on March 9".

Many Belarusian enterprises experience problems in paying out wages to employees. In particular, for several months there have been reports on the transfer of enterprises in the four- and three-day work week, on partial payment of salaries and their decrease, as well as obligatory unpaid leaves.

The number of Belarusians, who are not paid out or withheld wages, has been increasing since the beginning of the year. So, on January 1 20 enterprises had arrears of salaries to 3 000 of employees totaling Br22.1 billion, on February 1 - 277 enterprises had arrears to 49 000 employees for the total of Br171 billion.