29 September, Minsk /BELTA/. An increase in the first category tariff rate from November 1 of the current year will allow for an average increase in the calculated wages of public sector employees by 30%, or by Br135 thousand in absolute terms. The wages of public sector employees, tariffed from the 1st to the 12th category, will exceed the minimum consumer budget, which will enhance the social protection of such employees. This was reported to BELTA correspondent by the Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Belarus, Marianna Shchetkina.
As previously reported, by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of September 27, No. 1382, the first category tariff rate has been increased from November 1, 2010, from Br90 thousand to Br118 thousand.
"The Program for the Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2006-2010 envisages reaching an average monthly wage level of approximately $500 in equivalent terms for the entire country by the end of 2010," the minister noted. "To achieve this objective, systematic work has been carried out throughout the five-year period to raise the wage level for both employees of real economy organizations and public sector organizations. In the real sector of the economy, this objective is being achieved through the implementation of measures to liberalize economic activities, including in the area of remuneration, and to improve the efficiency of commercial organizations' management. In the public sector, it is being achieved by increasing the first category tariff rate, as well as the tariff rates (salaries) for certain categories of employees."
2010 is the final year of the five-year plan, determining its outcomes. Throughout this year, wage increases in the public sector have been implemented in several stages. At the first stage, the first category tariff rate was increased from January 1 from Br77 thousand to Br81 thousand, and from June 1 from Br81 thousand to Br90 thousand. From September 1, the remuneration level for low-paid employees, as well as for certain categories of employees in the socio-cultural sphere, has been increased. The second stage is the increase in the first category tariff rate from November 1, 2010.
Marianna Shchetkina emphasized that the state minimum social standard in the field of remuneration, ensuring social protection of employees in labor relations in the Republic, is the minimum wage (MW). In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Establishment and Procedure for Increasing the Minimum Wage", the MW amounts (monthly and hourly) are established by the Council of Ministers annually, once a year, from January 1, based on the prevailing levels of employment and labor productivity; the employee's need for material goods and services; the average wage in the economy, pensions, scholarships, benefits, compensations and other social payments, as well as taking into account the economic capabilities of the republican and local budgets, and employers. From January 1, 2010, by government decree, the minimum wage was set at Br258,600. The MW amount from January 1 of the current year has not changed, while the wages of employees in all sectors of the economy have been systematically increased throughout the year (for August, it amounted to Br1,286.9 thousand, or about $430 in equivalent). In this regard, and in order to strengthen social protection of employees, Decree No. 490 of September 27, 2010 "On the Establishment of Minimum Wage Amounts for November-December 2010" was adopted, according to which the monthly minimum wage for November-December is set at Br400,000, and the hourly minimum wage at Br2,360.-0-
BELTA