2024-04-03 00:35:10
A resident of Evoglu village of Aghdam region Rashad Alizadeh states that for some time he worked in the construction of multi-storey buildings built in Karabakh. According to him, he thought that the problem of unemployment was solved when the restoration works began: “The officials declared that the restoration of Karabakh will continue until 2040. Indeed, there are ruined cities and completely destroyed villages. I thought that I could work in construction for years and find a permanent job in some facility that was put into use later. But my expectations were not fulfilled.”
“I still haven’t received the salary for April and May”
According to him, the labor relations with the workers were not properly established during the hiring process. He adds that he made wooden molds for pouring concrete, assembled iron structures for foundations and columns of buildings: “In the beginning, they paid our money at the end of every month. But on the eve of the completion of the company’s work in Agdam, there was a problem with the payment of wages, they started paying our money late and in installments. I still haven’t been able to receive the salary for the months of April and May last year – 1,680 manats. The head of the company first promised to pay our money soon, but then he did not answer our phone calls.
“Some have been paid”
Presented there as “Executive”. Yagub Valiyev confirms that the company owes the workers. According to him, 27 people have a total of 30,000 manat in debt: “The debt was more, some of them have been paid in the past period. The company also owes me 6,000 manats.”
Mustafa Gorkhmaz, the representative of the “Gorkhmaz” iron and mold company, who responded to RFE’s inquiry, admitted that he remains indebted to the workers who worked in the construction: “We work as a subcontractor in the reconstruction of Karabakh, we are “second hand”. This means that we also take money from someone and give it to others. We can’t get paid for the work we have done on time and in full. We have several lawsuits on this. But we have paid for those who need it more. We will pay the rest soon.”
The representative of the company gave a brief response to the allegations regarding improper establishment of labor relations with employees: “These allegations are completely unfounded.”
“Companies themselves form brigades…”
R. Alizadeh and says that the company in question has built six six-storey residential houses in Agdam and is currently working in Jabrayl. A resident of Aghdam could not work in the construction works carried out in other areas: “The companies themselves form a brigade…”.
Lawyer Vazeh Zahidov also says that not only in the reconstruction of Karabakh, but in general in all parts of the country, labor relations in the field of construction are often not established legally: “It is also difficult to restore the violated rights of workers who do not have a contract. “The facts of employment without a contract often appear because the Labor Inspection and Tax Service bodies could not establish their work at the proper level, or they ignore some companies.”
So far, it has not been possible to get an opinion on these ideas from official institutions.
The Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and seven surrounding regions were under occupation for about 30 years. With the removal of the occupation, the government of Azerbaijan has started restoration and construction works there in recent years.
Freedom radio