In Vitebsk, the winners of the regional review-competition for the best labor protection organization in 2021 were awarded
The awards ceremony took place as part of a meeting of the regional council for labor and social issues.
Since 2008, the Vitebsk region has annually held a review competition for the best organization of labor protection among enterprises and organizations in the production and non-production spheres of activity.
More than 250 organizations took part in the review competition for the best organization of labor protection in 2021.
For participation in the second stage of the regional review competition, 36 organizations that did not have industrial accidents in 2021 were selected by decisions of the district executive committees.
– Labor protection has been and remains an important socio-economic issue that requires constant attention from both the state and employers, – said the chairman of the regional executive committee Alexander Subbotin in his welcoming speech. – Recognition of the achievements of managers and encouragement of employees for high performance in labor protection contributes to the formation of a positive conviction among other organizations about the priority of safe work, strengthening positions in the production market and additional advertising. Please accept words of gratitude and appreciation for your difficult and responsible work. Through labor protection, workplace safety is achieved; you, along with doctors, preserve people's health and lives. I wish you good health and well-being, an inexhaustible supply of optimism, and success.
The Diploma "Exemplary Organization of the Vitebsk Region for Labor Protection in 2021" was awarded to:
in the nomination "Non-production sphere organizations" – Bogushevsk boarding school for children with disabilities with peculiarities of psychophysical development, Director Lаutkina Elena Grigoryevna;
in the nomination "Production sphere organizations with up to 100 employees" – private enterprise "NOVY VEK spring", Director Barsukov Dmitry Dmitrievich;
in the nomination "Production sphere organizations with 101 to 500 employees" – Vitebsk plant of tractor spare parts, Director Shimchenko Oleg Vyacheslavovich;
in the nomination "Production sphere organizations with over 500 employees" – branch "Lukomlskaya GRES" of the electric power enterprise "Vitebskenergo", Director Matsarsky Kirill Anatolyevich.
For significant contribution to the implementation of the main directions of state policy in the field of labor protection, preservation of workers' health and organization of safe labor in 2021, Letters of Gratitude from the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee were awarded to:
Vitebsk branch of the postal service enterprise "BELPOST", Director Maksa Sergey Eduardovich;
Sennensky gas supply district of the "Chashnikigaz" branch of the republican unitary enterprise "Vitebskoblgaz", Director Solovyov Alexander Viktorovich;
"Polotskvodokanal" branch of the regional enterprise of water supply and sewerage "Vitebskoblvodokanal", Director Felisov Alexander Anatolyevich;
"Orsha main gas pipelines administration" branch of the "Gazprom transgaz Belarus" company, Director Mazurchik Denis Anatolyevich.
For a high level of labor protection culture, attention to safety issues, prevention of occupational diseases and injuries in the workplace in 2021, a Letter of Gratitude from the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee was awarded to:
State educational institution "Krasnopolskaya Kindergarten - Secondary School of Rossony District", Director Sidorenko Zhanna Ivanovna;
Tolochnsky Road Repair and Construction Department No. 147 branch of the "Vitebskobldorstroy" enterprise, Director Komel Igor Vasilyevich;
"Chashnikskoye production department" branch of the republican unitary enterprise "Vitebskoblgaz", Director Rudak Leonid Viktorovich;
Vitebsk communal production unitary enterprise of boiler houses and heat networks "VPKiTS", Director Baranovksy Petr Stanislavovich.
The meeting of the regional council for labor and social issues was attended by council members from the regional executive committee, the regional employers' union, and the trade union association.
Also present at the studios were deputy chairpersons of district executive committees, chairpersons of district trade union associations, employer councils, and heads of district executive committee labor, employment, and social protection departments.
By the end of the year, a number of measures must be taken to increase wage levels, and additional sources and resources must be identified.
– The main sources for increasing wage levels are revenue from the sale of products and services, and an increase in production volumes. Organizations where the revenue growth rate exceeds the wage growth rate can serve as a reserve, – said Deputy Chairperson of the Regional Executive Committee Anzhelika Nikitina. – Less than a month remains until the end of the year, so it is necessary not only to consolidate the achieved development pace but also to reach a higher level of socio-economic development next year.
According to Anzhelika Nikitina, the established mechanism of interaction between the three-party participants (authorities, trade unions, and employer associations), as well as the involvement of all interested parties, will ensure the preservation of socio-economic guarantees, the proper level of social protection for employees, their labor rights, and safe working conditions.
The fulfillment of all set tasks directly depends on people's health.
The chief state sanitary doctor of the Vitebsk region, chief physician of the regional center for hygiene, epidemiology, and public health, Vladimir Sinkevich, reported on the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the region and the prevention of acute respiratory infections, including COVID-19.
– In recent years, 1–2 cases of occupational diseases have been registered. As a result of the current period of 2022, no such cases have been registered in the region. All the work of employers, healthcare system employees, and trade unions is aimed at timely completion of mandatory medical examinations, – noted Vladimir Sinkevich. – This year, more than 400 people have been removed from the impact of harmful production factors – individuals who are not recommended to continue working in order to prevent occupational diseases. Also, more than 4 thousand people have been identified who have no contraindications for further continuation of work under these conditions. They have been given recommendations and are under medical supervision.
In addition, more than 1/3 of diseases are respiratory diseases. Their prevention measures are simple. The main one is vaccination. For influenza, it was completed before December 1, with over 40% of the population vaccinated in the region. Vaccination against COVID-19 is ongoing. To date, about 80% of the population of Vitebsk region have received booster vaccinations.
The activities of the most important social partner – trade unions – are aimed at protecting the rights and interests of workers in the sphere of labor and labor relations, and ensuring social justice.
There are about two thousand enterprises in the region where trade union organizations are absent. This, as well as the role of trade unions in social partnership and the creation of primary trade union organizations, and other problematic issues, were discussed by the chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Trade Union Association, Yuri Derkach.
– The Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus plays a crucial role in the implementation of state policy in the field of labor protection. Trade unions and employers must have clear partnership, interaction and order, and protection of workers' rights, – emphasized Yuri Derkach. – It is difficult to answer whether trade unions can provide the same support to employees in private enterprises as in state-owned ones. If we take the Miory Metal Rolling Plant as an example, after the state intervened, a primary trade union organization was immediately established there, which was joined by more than 400 people, and now there are about 700.
According to Yuri Derkach, at a number of enterprises, the unwillingness of the employer, the owner, to join the trade union is imposed on the people who work there. What the state delegates to the trade union organization – the protection of workers' rights, where there is no trade union, a block of legislative acts of social partnership will be absent and violated.
Also at the meeting, the work plan of the regional council for labor and social issues for 2023 was approved.