Ilsur Metshin about the “grey” salary: “Salary below the social minimum is a signal for us”

(KZN.RU, December 19, Anton Nozdrin). Arthur Valiakhmetov, the chairman of the Committee for Economic Development, spoke about the work on the reduction of informal employment in the city today at the Business Monday in the Kazan City Hall.

According to him, in 2007, 1223 complaints from workers' organizations on the violation of labor rights were received by the city commission on the hotline, 31 of which were received this year. 11 reports included information on the “grey” labor market and low salaries. The system “People's control”, which has a new category of “Informal employment”, assists in combating violations.

A. Valiakhmetov noted that all possible ways of dealing with informal employment are used. Often, members of the commission have questions for employers, who pay salaries below the social minimum, including below the level of the minimum consumer budget. Separate work is carrying out with such enterprises.

According to the Committee chairman, 29449 contracts and additional agreements to increase salaries of the employees were concluded in 2016, 938 contracts signed with the workers, who previously were without official registration of labor relations.

Also, an additional analysis of vacancies, offered by enterprises in the city center of employment, was held. According to A. Valiakhmetov, activities of 121 companies in 1068 vacancies were considered at the meetings of the regional commissions. “The explaining work about the need to increase salaries above the level of the minimum consumer budget was held with the heads of all the organizations, present at the meetings”, said the speaker. According to him, this work will continue.

A. Valiakhmetov marked that one of the priorities of the Commission on the improvement of the living standard is the taking salaries out of “shadows”. “People of Kazan, working without formal employment, deprive themselves and their families, social guarantees”, said the chairman of the committee and urged citizens to report non-registration of labor relations and salaries in “envelopes” on the hotline 299-16-53 or in the “People's control”.

Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, said that nearly 30 thousand contracts concluded to increase wages is a good result. “It is clear that enterprises and business representatives are looking for ways to optimize in times of crisis, but salary is not the case when you push people over the line of minimum payment. We have seen this 10 years ago, when we had 2800 drivers of buses receiving 1.5-2 thousand rubles, while the rest went from the “envelope”. Salary below the social minimum is a signal for us”, marked the Mayor.

The Mayor noted the need of explaining work. “We need to clarify not only the employers but also the employees of the need for formal employment. Salaries are the future pensions. This issue needs to be under a tough guard”, said I. Metshin.