An increasing number of large state-owned enterprises in Minsk and regions require their workers to take unpaid leave, cut their working hours or trim their salaries. Nevertheless, the authorities manage to keep the situation under control and prevent mass layoffs in the public sector. Meanwhile, workers’ protest activity remains low and is limited to individual and collective complaints to the state authorities. The authorities monitor the situation and promptly respond to incidents when workers show dissatisfaction with salary payments. If the crisis in public sector deepens, the state will use additional mechanisms to maintain high employment levels in order to restrict protest activity in the year of presidential elections.
