The Vitebsk regional executive committee, the employers' union and the trade unions have concluded a three-way agreement
The tripartite agreement between the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, the regional employers' union, and the regional trade union association, signed for the years 2025 – 2027, will serve as a stimulus for the development of the region's economy and a guarantee of social protection for citizens.
– This document is important, relevant, and fully reflects the goals of the announced quality five-year plan in Belarus. Quality is a broad concept that includes the work of enterprises, training of personnel, social guarantees, and other aspects. All of this is aimed at improving the quality of life of individuals. This is precisely what we laid as the foundation of the tripartite agreement. If everyone adheres to it, we will be able to achieve qualitative development of our region, – emphasized the Deputy Chairperson of the Executive Committee, Anzhelika Nikitina.
The previous agreement has been completed. The times, as Anzhelika Nikitina noted, were challenging, both due to COVID and sanctions; nevertheless, the economy of Vitebsk region is developing dynamically, investments are being made, production volumes and turnover are increasing, and people's incomes are higher than planned. This indicates that the partnership agreements have worked. The new ones are also primarily aimed at protecting the interests of citizens, increasing wages, promoting employment, and fulfilling social guarantees, which is very important for every worker today. This is directly related to increasing labor productivity and ultimately – to the socio-economic development of the region and the country.
As of today, the coverage of such agreements is 95%, or more than 3,500 organizations from both the real and social sectors. They, according to Anzhelika Nikitina, serve as a handbook for joint actions regarding the observance of workers' rights and guarantees. The new document has been supplemented with relevant norms, in particular, they concern personnel training, retention of young specialists, social guarantees for working pensioners, and others.
The importance of the guarantees laid down in the agreement for workers was emphasized by the Chairman of the regional trade union association, Yuri Derkach.
– The main goal of the document is to ensure the socio-economic development of the region and social protection of labor collectives and every citizen. It retains important components. These include salaries in the budget sector – 80% of the average salary in the country, 40% in pension provision, employment, legal education, striving for zero injuries, and training specialists in demand for working professions. Trade unions, employers, and the authorities are extremely interested in the socio-economic development of the region, which is directly related to the improvement of residents' welfare. It is important for labor collectives to be focused on the results of their work. After all, the level of life depends on the economy's performance, – explained Yuri Derkach.
The Chairman of the regional employers' union, Vasily Chekan, noted that all enterprise leaders supported this agreement.
– It is necessary for the economy of the region to develop, and from this depends the welfare of every resident. This document is not dogma. If necessary, some changes can be made, – emphasized Vasily Chekan.