Tractor Plant stops its work
- 27.10.2007, 14:29
Minsk Tractor Plant is to stop its work for a week in November. Aliaksandr Yarashuk, head of Belarusian congress of Democratic trade Unions said it to Charter’97 press center. An order was post up, that the enterprise won’t work from 3 to 11 November. At the same time, the MTP workers didn’t receive the salary for September. The workers were said they wouldn’t be paid fro the idle time – instead of working days they would work Saturdays.
“Actually, there are problems with wage payment on the plant. For this reason the conveyor line will be stopped. The workers were said they would have holiday for a week, which should be worked later. Nobody knows why it happens so. We can only suppose that the export policy, conducted till now, had a failure. Tractor export is unprofitable for the plant. Earlier, the enterprise was subsidized seriously by the state. Today the economic difficulties have become evident. In this case it has affected the flagship of Belarusian industry”, - Aliaksandr Yarashuk said in his interview to Charter’97 press center.
On the enterprise itself it was refused to tell the reasons why the plant stops its work. People in the MTP personnel department didn’t want to talk with Charter’97 press center and switched telephone to the deputy general director of the plant. The official didn’t confirm the information that the enterprise wouldn’t work till 11 November by the words: “Do not search problems on our enterprise. We won’t work from 3 to 11 November because of holidays, and will work for these days on Saturdays”. On the question why the plant will not work 5 and 6 November (Monday and Tuesday), the deputy general director didn’t say anything clear, just declared it was “the general director’s order”. After the words “you are not an investigator, I don’t have to speak with you”, the official slammed down the receiver.
“The events on the MTP are very symptomatic. Today people may not take to streets. But next time the situation may repeat the one on Minsk Motobycicle Plant, whose workers blocked Partisan Avenue some years ago. It wasn’t a secret from the very beginning, that the state tried to support the largest Minsk enterprises, but now we see the price of this support. In great degree Tractor plant, as “Gorizont” and Minsk Automobile Plant, has existed due to serious state grants. In other words due to common taxpayer. Naturally, these problems have appeared as a result. Our industrial enterprises are facing the real danger of worsening of their economic conditions and losing their competitive ability”, Aliaksandr Yarashuk thinks.
20.000 people work on Minsk Tractor Plant.
It should be reminded that Aliaksandr Patupa, head of Belarusian Union of Entrepreneurs, declared that “rather massive dismissals up to 100 thousands of people on large enterprises with the aim of effectivization of labour are possible next year”.