MINSK, 1 March (BelTA) - The number of workplaces with hazardous working conditions has decreased by 7.8% over the past three years, Belarusian Labor and Social Security Minister Irina Kostevich told the media ahead of the ministry’s collegium meeting on 1 March, BelTA has learned.
“As for healthy and safe working conditions, we have reached great results here. The number of workplaces with hazardous working conditions is reducing. Over the three years of the five-year plan, and the country envisages five-year development cycles, the number of such workplaces has decreased by 7.8%. About 60,000 workplaces have reached a healthy level. This is a significant achievement,” Irina Kostevich said.
Speaking about safe working conditions, the minister praised results in reducing fatal injuries. According to her, systemic, comprehensive measures have been bringing necessary effect. However, there are still problems with injuries in general. “When we made a detailed analysis of the causes, we saw the reason, which makes up some 20% of the total today – low self-protection,” Irina Kostevich said, adding that this issue also needs to be addressed.
She also touched upon salaries. “Salaries in the real sector have increased. Salaries across the country grew 11% on average,” the minister said. According to her, salaries in the public sector were also on the rise. According to Irina Kostevich, this applies to 20% of the total workforce engaged in public services: education, healthcare, culture and social services. Real wages in the public sector grew by more than 11% last year.
According to Irina Kostevich, this testifies to the fact that the effective economic performance secured increases in incomes for the categories of citizens, whom the government is obliged to support. These are pensioners and public sector workers.
The collegium meeting of the Labor and Social Security Ministry, held in the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, is set to take stock of the progress made and outline the tasks for 2024 in each of the areas, including demographic and family policy, labor market, salaries, healthy and safe working conditions, social services for the elderly, protection of the rights of the disabled, pensions.
“As for healthy and safe working conditions, we have reached great results here. The number of workplaces with hazardous working conditions is reducing. Over the three years of the five-year plan, and the country envisages five-year development cycles, the number of such workplaces has decreased by 7.8%. About 60,000 workplaces have reached a healthy level. This is a significant achievement,” Irina Kostevich said.
Speaking about safe working conditions, the minister praised results in reducing fatal injuries. According to her, systemic, comprehensive measures have been bringing necessary effect. However, there are still problems with injuries in general. “When we made a detailed analysis of the causes, we saw the reason, which makes up some 20% of the total today – low self-protection,” Irina Kostevich said, adding that this issue also needs to be addressed.
She also touched upon salaries. “Salaries in the real sector have increased. Salaries across the country grew 11% on average,” the minister said. According to her, salaries in the public sector were also on the rise. According to Irina Kostevich, this applies to 20% of the total workforce engaged in public services: education, healthcare, culture and social services. Real wages in the public sector grew by more than 11% last year.
According to Irina Kostevich, this testifies to the fact that the effective economic performance secured increases in incomes for the categories of citizens, whom the government is obliged to support. These are pensioners and public sector workers.
The collegium meeting of the Labor and Social Security Ministry, held in the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, is set to take stock of the progress made and outline the tasks for 2024 in each of the areas, including demographic and family policy, labor market, salaries, healthy and safe working conditions, social services for the elderly, protection of the rights of the disabled, pensions.
