“Poroshenko’s slaves”: the Germans told how they underpay and save on sick leave to Channel 5 journalists
Journalists from Channel 5, which belongs to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, complain about systematic violation of labor laws and tax evasion.
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Deutsche Welle (DW) reports this.
“Creating effective incentives for the “shadowization” of the wage fund” - this was one of the key political theses of Petro Poroshenko during his speech at the National Reform Council in early September. However, it seems that the president’s declarations do not coincide with his real deeds,” the publication notes.
“Illegal salaries, funds and violation of social standards are likely to be practiced in companies owned by Poroshenko. Roman Sukhan, a journalist from the presidential Channel 5, was the first to publicly announce this. In particular, according to the presenter, the channel’s journalists receive “black” wages. Sukhan announced this on his Facebook page yesterday after he was fired. The journalist says that he was released after he once again pointed out to the channel’s management that journalists “who work for three people” are overworked due to a lack of resources,” DW writes.
In a conversation with Deutsche Welle, Sukhan noted that each journalist receives two cards when hired: on one, the channel’s accounting department transfers an official salary of one thousand hryvnia, from which all taxes are paid, and on the other card - a private one - the unofficial part of the salary is paid to employees every month. many times more than the official one and tax-free.
“It looks cynical when the president declares one thing, but actually does something completely different. Our channel has absolutely gray accounting, unprotected workers, because there is no sick leave, no medical insurance, no social guarantees. If you are disloyal to the channel, then it is very easy to fire you,” said Sukhan.
The management of “Channel 5” refutes the accusations, insisting that the channel’s union did not file any complaints regarding the calculation of wages to employees.
“Journalists are protected. They receive good salaries. The declared principles of the independence of journalists are being implemented by the owner of the channel,” Vladimir Mzhelsky, editor-in-chief of the channel, commented to DW.
At the same time, DW’s conversation with several current and former Channel 5 journalists confirmed Roman Sukhan’s words.
“Everything is based on agreements with the channel’s management. They explain from the very beginning that there is little money and taxes are high, so “we will pay according to a gray scheme. People deliberately agree in order to have at least some kind of work,” said a journalist from the channel, who is also planning to quit, on condition of anonymity.
Journalist Kristina Bondarenko, who resigned from Channel 5 this spring, also told DW about her problems with her former employer.
“Journalists have no rights, because the channel practices a system of fines, which are removed from the “gray” card, and no one can prove anything, because it is unofficial. I was fined two thousand hryvnia for some unknown reason, and I couldn’t prove anything. This situation is still there,” says Bondarenko.
It is noted that Channel 5 journalists do not even receive legal sick leave.
“I'm tired of enduring the temperature at work. The editor, who was hospitalized for surgery after returning to work, was “asked” to give half of his salary from his own pocket to a friend editor who was replacing him, because sick leave is not provided,” Roman Sukhan wrote on his Facebook page.
According to the channel’s workers, they have repeatedly demanded changes in working conditions and pay through the trade union and directly at meetings of the workforce, but all in vain.
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