‘Budget’s Running Dry”. What Will Happen to Salaries of Belarusians?

The authorities heard the first shots.

This year, the state has changed the waging system for state employees. Despite the promises of Lukashenka and Labour Ministry, it has resulted in a significant reduction of wages.

The fall in wages in the public sector occurs against the background of regular price hikes for motor fuel and a record-high devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. Charter97.org asked legal inspector of the REP independent trade union for Homel region, Leanid Sudalenka, to comment on the situation.

- January payslips of Belarusian doctors and teachers had the amount of Br150-200 less. The Ministry of Labour also had to admit this fact, although the day before Lukashenka stated that salaries were not going to reduce. Why did the opposite happen?

- Today I was driving my car and I heard the news on the radio. It informed that if anyone had been underpaid, one could call the State Control Committee, they would sort it out. Everyone knows that your salary should not slide down. Nevertheless, the facts prove the opposite.

Why is this happening? The budget is suffocating. It has no money, so there are drops in salaries. An oil industry which used to lay golden eggs in the form of resale of oil products has failed. A tangible 10-20% drop in wages among state employees may be the first shot.

What will happen next? Other industries await the same fate. It can't happen only to doctors and teachers. I think all this is connected with the oil war with Russia when Belarus lost cheap oil in exchange for "brotherly kisses".

- The mass media called the new model "Robin Hood system" because the wages of qualified specialists have decreased, while those of unskilled workers have remained the same or even slightly increased. What do you think of this approach?

- No country in the world has such a "leveling" that they want to introduce here. A qualified specialist cannot get less or as much as a person with low qualifications. The first ones have always been paid more.

Things they want to impose in our country are the "social justice" Lukashenka has been talking about for over 25 years. It does not work in any country in the world. I guess it will not work here either. This is nothing more than a populist move. We all know that this is the year of the presidential "elections". We will hear much more, only the authorities will soon forget about their promises.

- Have state employees applied to the REP union for help in connection with the new salary situation?

No, the union has not had such appeals, at least in the Homel region. People from other sectors of the national economy complain about low wages.

As for the state employees, they will come to us only if no other options left. They are dependent, bound by the contract system.

They know that when applying to an independent trade union, they first look for the truth, and then look for a new job. People are afraid. Teachers understand that annual contracts with them are of the reporting nature, and then they may not be extended.

- How did the new Labour Code introduced this year affect the situation?

- This code significantly worsens the legal situation in all articles, except for the part regarding people who work remotely. This is an innovation.

The independent trade union supports the provision when employees can work remotely, all the more modern technologies make it possible. Everything else, including the right to transfer an employee, as a serf, from one employer to another, significantly worsens the situation of people of hired labour.

I emphasize that the new version of the code has only been imposed. As such, the practice has not yet developed.

- February 25, there was a spontaneous rally near the office of Belneftekhim. It was against the growth of gasoline prices. How would you comment on the fact that people organized themselves and protested?

- It's a great idea. I am a motorist. If I saw people protesting in Homel, I would join them. It seems that a penny is added every week, but it happens during the whole year. It's their usual tricky way. Today, the fuel has a very high price against our salary. We are about to pay one dollar per liter of gasoline - this is an average European price. Of course, people will protest, because our salaries lag behind the increase in fuel prices. In other words, the income of the population remains at the same level, while fuel price is growing.

Belarusians are accustomed to using cars. The fact that people are protesting is the first shot for the authorities, for them to think about consequences. If the oil price is falling in the world, then why should the price of gasoline rise?

Remember what protests motorists held when the traffic in the center of Minsk was blocked. Such actions aimed to make the authorities come to their senses. I can already see that people save money. If earlier they could go by car, now they use public transport.

What happens next? Turning to the preconditions of the situation, fuel price will reach the European level. But our salaries will certainly not keep up with this price growth. Therefore, the rally of February 25 is also the first shot.

- During the "parliamentary" campaign, Lukashenka spoke with anxiety about the upcoming presidential "elections". What can the aggravation of the socio-economic situation turn into?

- According to the Constitution, "elections" are to be held no later than this August. Accordingly, in three months our election campaign should already start.

I think the authorities will switch on the printing press and pump up empty money. If incomes and pensions do not increase, they will at least remain at the same level. The growth of the dollar exchange rate has a reason. It means that the authorities are already printing extra money to "maintain the position". Of course, they are afraid if workers at Gomselmash do not receive their salaries for a month or two. Imagine if this army takes to the streets. Therefore, the authorities will try in some way, the detriment of the economy, to "maintain the position" ... As they say, to "hold on until the fall comes". Then, there may be various options for events to develop.

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