The Prosecutor General and the Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions paid a working visit to Horadok
Pain Points of PMK-51
The central point of the meeting between the trade union leader and the Prosecutor General in Horadok was a visit to the local PMK-51. And this is not by chance. As early as last year, the situation of the construction organization was unenviable. Due to underutilization of capacities and debts, the staff was reduced from several hundred to 70-80 people, the average salary did not exceed 250 rubles, and some equipment and machinery were seized by bailiffs. Bankruptcy loomed. But thanks to the decisive decision of the authorities and new contracts for subcontracting work, the enterprise was saved, and today it demonstrates stable economic growth, and most importantly, construction workers are returning (the staff has grown to 110 people), and the average salary is increasing – today it is over 500 rubles.
– The main problem of the construction industry is the lack of orders for contracting and subcontracting work, – said Mikhail Orda. – Horadok PMK is no exception. But this is an enterprise that has a good construction base and specialists. And the fact that it was transferred to communal ownership, helped to ensure a workload, is a good example of how not to act rashly. Now we need to think about restructuring debts, unfreezing the enterprise's accounts, and lifting the seizure of equipment. Without this, PMK is tied hand and foot.
– Using the example of Gorodoksk PMK, we saw systemic problems, – noted Alexander Konyuk. – The local authorities made the right decision by preserving this construction organization. But there are problems with the tax inspectorate and bailiffs. Our task is to help remove these sometimes artificial barriers to the development of this and similar enterprises in the regions.
At the construction site of a residential building, which Gorodoksk PMK-51 workers are erecting as one of the subcontractors, Mikhail Orda noted that tenders for construction work are sometimes won by intermediary firms that do not even have construction equipment, and subcontractors, to whom they then transfer all the work, do not receive funds in the proper amounts.
— This is what requires priority attention, — emphasized Vladimir Terentyev. – Now PMK has a volume of work that allows it to develop. In the near future, the construction of another house is planned.
The builders who participated in the conversation complained about the cost per square meter of housing, which in small towns is almost the same as in the regional center, while salaries are lower. Therefore, there are few people who want to build, even with preferential loans, which leads to difficulties for small construction organizations.
Seeking Help from Legal Experts
An equally substantive and meaningful joint reception of citizens was held in Gorodok, where issues ranging from the legality of a particular punishment for a fined employee to conflict situations regarding contracts with pre-retirement age people were raised.
– People approached me with specific problems during the personal reception, — commented Alexander Konyuk. – Some of them will require additional checks. Regarding the situation with labor relations for pre-retirement age people, we will make a proposal to the Administration of the President to clarify the relevant legal acts.
According to Mikhail Orda, the joint work of the trade union organization and the Prosecutor General's Office is bearing fruit. In the first half of the year alone, federation lawyers, together with prosecutors, conducted almost 400 legal consultations, with particular attention paid to employers' compliance with labor guarantees, timely payment of wages, and amounts due to employees upon dismissal. Thanks to the intervention of lawyers, 58 cases were considered in court instances, where employees' claims were satisfied. With the participation of trade unions, 39 people were reinstated in their jobs, and employees were compensated for more than 2 million in unpaid or illegally withheld funds.
– Together with prosecutors, we can delve into each situation in detail, – said Mikhail Orda.
Great attention, he informed, is now paid to the contract system. Legislators are discussing amendments to the Labor Code, and trade unions have sent them many proposals.
— We analyzed 1.8 million contracts for 2017, a third of them were concluded for one year, – noted Mikhail Sergeyevich. – Moreover, the number of short-term contracts is increasing; there are enterprises where almost all contracts are annual. People do not know if they will have a job, they are not sure about their future, this negatively affects the microclimate in work collectives and in society as a whole. Today, many issues in this area are left to the discretion of the employer. As a result, the decision to extend or not extend the contract depends solely on them. Trade unions propose to include clear rules in the Labor Code so that every person knows that if they work conscientiously and without reprimands, they can count on the extension of employment relations.