The president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed decree about additional measures for development of woodworking industry according to which workers of a number of enterprises of the branch are forbidden to leave at own will.
Special contracts — without the right of early cancellation of labour contract — are specified to enter for employees of the woodworking enterprises, where the state invests own funds for re-equipment and modernization.
System of administrative and financial influence on those who decide to leave enterprise on own initiative — up to compulsory employment on former working place with subsequent deduction of earlier paid "stimulating" money from their earnings is provided.
Preceding appearance of the decree, the president Lukashenko explained benefit of innovation: "I will tell that people know: you have to make salaries of those people whom you will keep on these enterprises having forbidden dismissal 400-500 dollars in the first quarter of next year. Then people will tell: leave it alone, the president made the decision, he forced us to work here, but for normal salary".
Visiting in the last day of autumn factory Borisovdrev Lukashenko warned that discipline at the enterprises with state support will be rigid: "If he is free to go – let him go, if not – he has to work. For violations — compulsory labour. For Voluntary resignation — compulsory labor and to return to work in the same place".
"Such measures will be established at all enterprises, we only begin from you," — the Belarusian president promised.
________________________________________
From editorial board: Actually Lukashenko is aphoristic – there’s nothing to add or to detract here: for violations — compulsory labour; resign at own will — compulsory labour and to work in the same place. Such situation will be at all enterprises...
I would like to look now in the eyes of those who for many years have been talking about "communist" Lukashenko, about Belarusian "socialism", about "Belarusian model".
By the way, though formally but we are one and the same state with Belarus. If it means that the Belarusian decree about compulsory labour acts somehow in the territory of the Russian Federation? Well, for example, whether they will send back to Belarus run away workers from woodworking enterprises? In the USA they in the Southern states didn’t send back run away slaves from the North, we didn’t send back run away serfs and anyone in general on Don. What about Russia, will they send back run away batka’s serfs?
I would propose to send to batka supporters of the “Belarusian model", so to say, preventively - for replenishment of the workers of woodworking. Or let them go there voluntary. By the way, they will be paid big money - 400-500 dollars a month. Any freedom can be sold for such money, can’t it?
After all “batka” offers some kind of a choice: "the president made the decision, he forced us to work here, but for normal salary". Centuries of serfdom began from it in Russia in XVI century – it began from the deed of purchase, the document fixing peasant on the earth. Not for free, as a rule for a subsidy with sowing grain. There was choice - you could stay free, but without bread...
Now I think – if they in Russia will start adopting the Belarusian experience soon? After all it’s high time, the woodworking develops badly.
Perhaps, the only thing which we can do to help - to boycott the Belarusian goods. First of all – to boycott cheap and qualitative Belarusian furniture. It’s really both cheap and qualitative. But its price contains slave labor.
It is true - the Belarusian cheese and dairy products in general are cheap and qualitative. The Belarusian gloves aren't worse, than Italian ones, only 5 times cheaper. The linen is of the best quality. Though buying it remember: you stimulate system of compulsory labor. The more you buy, the more bases Lukashenko has to be proud of his “Belarusian model": "Such measures will be established at all enterprises, we only begin from you".
Аnatoly Baranov, editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk
