Rostov Region: wages held back of 16,000 workers

According to "Rostovstat" (Regional Statistics Authority), as of March 12, 2009, 32 enterprises of the Rostov Region were holding back wages of 16,000 workers. Four enterprises of the city of Taganrog owe 78.5 million roubles to more than six thousand workers, and three enterprises of the Aksay District owe 25.882 million roubles. The Region has also debts to its budget-paid employees: as of March 12, they make 931,000 roubles.

In the opinion of Alexander Chernoous, deputy director of the Closed Joint-Stock Coal Company "Gukovugol", once liquidated indebtedness will again accrue in April, as the Company has problems with sale markets under increased payments for electricity power and occupied land. The workers were switched over to shortened working day and working week, some of them were sent to unpaid vacations.

The regional authorities assert that involvement of municipal authorities in addressing unemployment issues in miners' territories could be higher. Although in the city of Zverevo salary debts were covered by March 12, however, in the opinion of Lydia Tkachenko, head of the Regional Employment Service, the situation in the city is alarming. 31 percent of total jobless workers are young people under 24.