Lawmakers see their wages cut by Br300K
Teachers and medical workers also had their wages for December reduced. Effective from December 1, 2008 Belarus reduced the base wage rate from Br91,000 down to Br77,000. As a result, workers in the public sector saw their December wages cut as compared to the wages for November. The European Radio for Belarus has learned that the public servants, including lawmakers, with the highest wages were hit the most. Back in November, MPs got Br300-400,000 more thank to the increase of the wage rate by 20 percent, Aleh Vialichka, the chairman of the Healthcare, Physical Culture, Family and Youth Affairs Commission at the Belarusian parliament, told the European Radio for Belarus. He said the lawmakers received an average of Br3 million with nearly Br300,000 missing in December.
According to the deputy, all his colleagues wished they could help budget-funded public workers and raise their wages, but the crisis would not allow them to do so yet.
Aleh Vialichka: “Every MP has both hands or legs up in favor of higher wages. I am not talking about myself. We can survive with what we get. But if we look at doctors, teachers, social workers, this inclrease was fairly significant. But we should remain objective abot what is currently taking place. Today, the priority is to survive through this global economic and financial crisis”.
Different from lawmakers, medical workers lost around Br40,000 due to the cuts in the base wage rate. Yulia Azimka, a first grade nurse at the Clinical Hospital No 10 in Minsk, says it was a tangible cut.
2nd grade doctors at the same hospital saw their wages lacking around Br70,000 for December.
Yulia Azimka: “The wage was Br470,940 before the increase to reach Br565,168 afterwards. Now the wage amounts to Br496,789”.
According to the deputy, all his colleagues wished they could help budget-funded public workers and raise their wages, but the crisis would not allow them to do so yet.
Aleh Vialichka: “Every MP has both hands or legs up in favor of higher wages. I am not talking about myself. We can survive with what we get. But if we look at doctors, teachers, social workers, this inclrease was fairly significant. But we should remain objective abot what is currently taking place. Today, the priority is to survive through this global economic and financial crisis”.
Different from lawmakers, medical workers lost around Br40,000 due to the cuts in the base wage rate. Yulia Azimka, a first grade nurse at the Clinical Hospital No 10 in Minsk, says it was a tangible cut.
2nd grade doctors at the same hospital saw their wages lacking around Br70,000 for December.
Yulia Azimka: “The wage was Br470,940 before the increase to reach Br565,168 afterwards. Now the wage amounts to Br496,789”.
