Vitebsk region enterprises have paid off wage arrears to employees

Enterprises of the Vitebsk region have paid off wage arrears to employees, as reported by the regional trade union association.

As of early September 2018, five organizations in the region had wage arrears totaling Br160 thousand. "These are enterprises of the agro-industrial complex. By September 12, they had paid off the arrears," the association noted.

The main reasons for the arrears are a difficult financial situation, problems with product sales, and untimely payment for work performed. This situation was also made possible by accounts receivable for goods supplied and unprofitable operations over a long period.

"We conduct constant monitoring on this issue. Compared to last year, the situation has significantly improved, but organizations with arrears still appear periodically. In resolving this issue, trade unions act jointly with the state labor inspectorate and prosecutor's offices, which allows us to achieve positive results," said Viktor Lugovtsov, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Trade Union Association.

Trade unions are also concerned about ensuring that organizations in the region maintain the average monthly wage level for employees no lower than the minimum. Since the beginning of 2018, nine agricultural organizations (including five in June) had employee wages below the minimum level. For example, at OAO "Olshanka," the average monthly earnings for the first month of summer were Br100, at OAO "Berezovy Krai" - Br191, at OAO "Braslavsky Rayagropromservis" - Br216, at KUSP "Vidzovsky" - Br264, and at OAO "Druisky" - Br267. Glubokskoye Raypo, which is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, is in a difficult financial situation. Some economic facilities and products have been transferred to Dokshitskoye and Ushachskoye Raypo, while others are being sold off.

According to operational data, currently, 32 people are working in Glubokoye on a part-time basis (7-hour workday), whose fate is being monitored by authorities and trade unions. In the Vitebsk region, the average monthly wage for January-July 2018 was Br782.2.

Farmers earned an average of Br559.9, specialists in the industrial sector - Br913, construction workers - Br781.3, teachers - Br617.5, medical workers - Br688.5.

BELTA.