Salaries in Belarus decreasing for the second month in a row
In September 2021, the nominal accrued average wage in Belarus decreased compared to August by BYN 20.5 (to BYN 1,442.7) after a decrease in August by BYN 8.5.
Thus, the pace of wage cuts has accelerated. However, in real terms, compared to September 2020, the average salary increased by 3.2%.
Compared to August, earnings decreased the most in the Minsk region: by BYN 64.1 – to BYN 1,435.8. And in Minsk, the rate of wage reduction fell to 6.7 rubles from BYN 45.5 in August. Nevertheless, Minsk dwellers are still leaders in terms of wages which amounted to BYN 2,009.9 in September this year.
Over a month period, wages decreased the least in the Brest region: by BYN 5.3 – to BYN 1,247.4.
In some sectors of the Belarusian economy, the decline in workers’ incomes was much greater than the national average. The fourth wave of coronavirus really negatively affected the average salary in passenger air transport field: it decreased by BYN 727.2 compared to August and reached BYN 3,273.8.
Even cargo air transportation suffered, however, to a lesser extent. There, wages fell by only BYN 38.6 and reached BYN 2,556.1.
As for land and pipeline transport, the average salary also decreased: by BYN 85.4 and amounted to BYN 1,394.8.
The wages in the chemical industry also decreased: by BYN 410.9 – to BYN 2,263.5. It looks strange, since the price of chemical products on the world market is growing, and the effects of the sanctions on Belarusian chemical enterprises seem to have not yet begun. In the production of petroleum products and coke, the average salary in September increased compared to August by BYN 14.7 – up to BYN 2,371.7.
Among the losers in September were employees in the financial services field, except for insurance and supplementary retirement benefits. In this field, the average salary decreased over a month period by BYN 257.3 – to BYN 1,936.6. This can be explained by sanctions against individual state-owned banks.
As for the field of insurance, reinsurance and supplementary pensions, except for compulsory social insurance, salaries in September increased by BYN 69.8 – to BYN 1,730.5.
The salary in the field of secondary activities associated with financial services and insurance increased even more: by BYN 438.4 – to BYN 3,745.3. Specialists in this service sector now have enough work due to the digitalization of the economy.
As for information technology and activities in the field of information services, the salary in September decreased by BYN 66.2 and amounted to BYN 5,582.4. Real wages in this area of the economy fell by 8.3% over the course of a year. All this is a clear consequence of the problems that arose in IT after the presidential elections. And they have clearly not been eliminated yet.
However, wages are also decreasing in those spheres of the economy where there were no conflicts related to elections. In the field of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, wages in September decreased compared to August by BYN 49.9 and amounted to BYN 1,105.7. But in real terms, it increased by 4.2% over the year. This is even slightly higher than in the country as a whole.
In the industrial production field, wages also decreased over a month period: by BYN 11.8 – to BYN 1,552.6.
On the other hand, in education, wages increased by BYN 5.5 and reached BYN 948.5, in health care, wages increased by BYN 20.2 – up to BYN 1,304.5.