Liquidator of Consequence of Chernobyl Accident Gets Sacked

08.10.2007. Tags: trade unions, Chernobyl, workers' rights.
Source: BulletinOnline.

The worker of Polymir public corporation Aliaksandr Ustsin was fired for ‘absence from work without good excuse’.

In the night of 26-27 August Aliaksandr Ustsin was driving home from Hrodna. His car broke. Then he had to hitch-hike to Navapolatsk to bring an evacuator. In the morning of 27 August he phoned to all his fellow workers including the head of his shift and warned them that he might not be able to come to work in the morning. He thought that everything was alright and returned to his car. He received no telephone calls.

The situation was quite typical and none of the workers could even assume that their colleague would be fired. As long as the workers do extra hours without receiving any bonuses for it, the questions of being late or absent from work have always been decided over the phone. However, to the common surprise on 29 August there was issued an order for sacking Aliaksandr Ustsin for ‘absenteeism from work’. On 30 August he was convoyed to the control post of the plant before the end of his shift. His permit was confiscated.

‘I have never been so much insulted during all the years of my work at Polymir’, commented Ustsin. ‘I am a liquidator of the consequences of Chernobyl accident and haven’t received any admonitions. I still cannot understand this injustice. I was not even allowed to pass my working clothes to the depot. Instead, they exacted 114 000 rubles (about 53 US dollars) from my wage. Besides, I was not paid the whole wage on the day of firing,’ he added.

Being indignant at such treatment, Aliaksandr Ustsin jointed the independent trade union. Now the trade union will deal with his case. He also sued the enterprise. Ustsin also says that the witnesses in the case have been pressurized by the enterprise administration and is going to speak about it at the trial.