“Personal Responsibility” Awaits Ministers and Vertical Officials They will be in trouble if all state employees are not put on contracts till October 6.
The Human Rights Center "Viasna" got hold of a very interesting document. Viasna chair Ales Bialatski describes it as “enslavement of Belarusian workers”.
Following you will find the full text of the document:
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
1. TO: A.V. Aheeyew, V.P. Astapaw, M.I. Baravy, A.N. Kulichkow, H.F.Kurachkin, V.V. Naumaw, A. M. Rusetski, Yu.L. Sivakow, N.I. Azamataw, V.V. Dranitsa, E. M. Naryshkin, M.I. Poukh, B.P. Sivy, M.V. Miasnikovich, K.A. Sumar, N.F. Damashkevich
I draw your attention to personal responsibility for execution of the order of the state Leader about conclusion of contracts with staff of state-run organizations.
I ask you to take immediate measures to activate the work in the sphere of transferring staff in subordinate organizations to contract system.
The guilty of failure to execute the order of the President of the Republic of Belarus shall be called to account.
You shall inform the Ministry of labor and Social Security about the results of this mission as of 30 September 2004 until 6 October 2004.
2. TO: N.P. Zaichanka, V.I. Zinowski, L.A. Pastayalka, P.M. Semashka, Yu.M. Pleskachewski, V.S. Dalzhenkow, B. V. Batura, V. P. Andreichenka, M.Ya. Pawlaw, V. B. Sawchanka, A. S. Yakabson
I ask you to take measures to finish transfer of staff of subordinate state organizations to contract system of employment.
You should inform the Ministry of Labor and Social Security about execution until 6 October 2004.
3. TO: A.P. Marozava
You should generalize and submit the information about transferring staff of state-run organizations to contract system of employment to the Council of Ministers until 9 October 2004.
September 2, 2004
№30/223-522-DSP A. Kabiakow
Interestingly enough, the stamp on the document reads: Mahilow regional executive committee, Secrecy Regime Organ
The Human Rights Center "Viasna" considers this document absolutely illegal. It shows that there is some order of the head of the state about total transfer of all state employees to a contract system. As far as we now, there is President’s Decree, which only gives an employer the right to transfer employees on termless working contracts to terminal ones.
However, according to the Presidential Decree, transfer to a terminal contract should be pre-determined by certain conditions. One of the obligatory conditions for such a transfer is a “business necessity”. For example, when a new schedule is set up or an employee receives a new job description. The document above clearly shows that there is an objective of total transfer of all employees to terminal contracts, independently of business necessity.
We believe it is done in order to put all state employees in the country under control in the lead-up to the parliamentary election and referendum. Most of the contracts are 1-year contracts. When the term is over an employer has the right not to re-conclude the contract without giving any reasons or paying any compensations. If people are dependent on their employer, if they are afraid to lose a job, it is very easy to manipulate them both during the referendum and the parliamentary election. It is easy to put pressure on such people and force them to vote early. This is also an opportunity to put pressure on members of election commissions who represent working bodies, etc.
It is indicative that this document is classified. We have a Law about state secrets, which enlists things that are the state secrets, disclosure of which may damage the territorial integrity and defense capacity of the country, etc. Imposing secrecy on information about contracts transfer demonstrates that its purpose is complete feebleness of workers in the run-up to the big political campaigns. That’s why “this order shall be executed” by October 6. Enslaved people are very easy to manipulate with.
P.S. For technical reasons we cannot upload the copy of this document on the web-site or send it via e-mail. You can receive it by fax from the Human Rights Center "Viasna".
