"I don't want to help the army." Petersburgers are forced to transfer part of the salary to war

In St. Petersburg, enterprises began to demand from the employees to transfer part of the salary to the needs of the army. Disagent threaten to deprive bonuses that can be up to half the income.

As the North Realiy, the former state unitary enterprise "TEK", and now the Joint-Stock Company "TEK" (the main shareholder of the company remains the administration of St. Petersburg), collects "voluntary" statements from its employees on the transfer of part of its salary to "his own" ("special military operation" Russian authorities call the war in Ukraine).

Funds are transferred to the accounts of the Suvorov charity fund, which is headed by Ayrat Gafurov, a former officer who served in the Western Military District. He leads the officer club "I have an honor." Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fund is State Duma deputy Andrei Kartapolov, author of bills on an increase in draft age, responsibility for discrediting mercenaries of the Wagner PMC, electronic summons. The fund has existed for 12 years. Recently, he has been purchasing for Russian military drones, killer drones and another "humanitarian".

The fund is located in St. Petersburg, its office, like the office of the officer club, is located near the Lesnaya metro station. Next to him is the executed "loaf", delivered, according to legend, from the zone of military operations. "The Nazis hunt us. He returned to tell about the war and ask for help," the poster posted nearby reports to give money.

"The people took it into bayonets"

-Everything was done without any records, without paper instructions. The pressure goes from top to bottom and purely in words. We were read out by the direct boss. He is adequate, said that we can decide for ourselves, but in case of refusal, the consequences are inevitable. And you need to write a statement addressed to the general director: "I, such and such, please transfer part of my salary for my needs." You need to indicate either a fixed amount or a salary in one day. They will transfer money to the trade union organization, ”says Kirill T.

The consequences of which Cyril speaks of is the deprivation of bonuses. In the TEK system, this is a standard way of pressure on staff. There are many awards at the enterprise - there are monthly (they are given not every time, for special assignments), quarterly and annual ones - and in total, they make up to half the income. If you deprive the employee of all premiums, he will receive a naked salary that is small.

In the same way, employees were forced to join the trade union.

“When the heads of the workshops began to ask questions, they say, if a person did not want to give, then they answered that the matter is purely voluntary, but if you refuse, you need to write an explanatory one that will begin with the words:" I do not want to help the army of the Russian Federation in victory in his ... ". The people, of course, took it into hostility, which is a natural reaction when coercion is underway. Later, some said that they could write a voluntary letter, but they will change the details, other volunteer organizations will indicate, but so far they will not write anything. But the main part, of course, decided to stupidly fulfill the will of the authorities, because it was clearly said: "You received pretty decent bonuses this year, so you should have enough money for remembers. And if not, financial measures will be taken." The principle is almost the same as when joining the trade union: who did not enter - writes a statement of care, ”explains Cyril.

The amounts of "removal" were also agreed for employees. They depend on the discharges (and thus on the salary). The fourth category should be transferred from 800 rubles, the fifth and sixth - from 1000 rubles, the master - from one and a half thousand, the head of the site explained to his subordinates.

- Some people did not write any statements or explanatory, including me. Now we are waiting for the consequences. I understand that these amounts look insignificant, but, for example, a single mother with a disabled son is working on dependent, receives six thousand pensions from the state. For her, there are a lot of 800 rubles a month - it does not burn. There are people who said that they have relatives on their own, and they always send them something. But, as I understand it, they decided to skip such people. We have one person wrote an explanatory (although what explanatory, as if he was to blame for something), in it he indicated that he had a disabled mother. But there are people who are determined - to change the details (to transfer money to other organizations. - SR) , send it, and there, if it turns out that the money is still going to the trade union, contact the prosecutor’s office, ”said the interlocutor.

Employees believe that the point is not about the patriotism of the authorities. This is just one of the success indicators of their leadership.

- The meaning of this is actually simple: the director shows how initiative it is. He is a plus of some service. Directors of the branches are competing among themselves. Similarly, with business trips to Mariupol, we had. In my opinion, more funds were invested there than in the repair of urban heating systems, ”Kirill notes.

After a wave of indignation at TEK, they decided to pretend that everything is really voluntarily, having already prescribed it in the employees' chat.

-The funny thing is that the boss collected the statements somewhere at 8:15 on Friday (January 31, Wed) , and at 8:30 in our conversation between the trade union it was sent a message that, they say, "we do not know where the legs are growing from, but tell all the employees that everything is purely voluntarily." And the statements have already been collected, ”says Cyril.

Why now?

The “needs of your own”, which are required for financing, is easy to come up with. For example, soldiers have to protect against drones on equipment at their own expense, the Russian military, which is now in the Donetsk region, told Severa.

- All January 2025 we are in Zapar. Constantly put the barbecue (metal content for protection against drones. - SR) on MAZ and BTRA. Moreover, this is all themselves, from the installation and ending with the purchase. 50 thousand one barbecue costs, ”he complains.

In parallel, Russian Z-channels in Telegram report that other units have to use donkeys to transport ammunition. Sources in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, however, argue that although there are donkeys in the zone of military operations, they are not used to deliver ammunition.

The lack of everything except food is felt in many Russian units. In particular, in December 2024, volunteers reported that the protozoa drugs were delivered to soldiers.

Fights for war

Operations for the Russian army go in different regions all three years of the war in Ukraine. For example, in October 2022, in the Rostov region, teachers, educators, doctors, state and municipal employees reported that they were forced to deduct part of the salary to “own”. The authorities of the region denied everything.

By 2023, the problem became mass, legal companies and professional communities explained that such fees are illegal if they are not voluntary.

- Two basic rules that will help in life a lot: do not sign documents whose meaning you do not understand, and do not sign the documents with the content of which you do not agree. I think the main problem in labor contracts: unfortunately, employers in Russia often conclude contracts with employees for a minimum salary, and by agreement they pay “bonuses” by agreement. In this case, indeed, the employer, if desired, can do this, formally this will not be a fine not provided for by the Labor Code. You can try to refuse to sign and demand to renew the employment contract for the real amount of income. Labor disputes are still resolved in the courts quite objectively, despite the degradation of the judicial system, ”says the founder of the Ark project, lawyer Anastasia Burakova.

In November 2023, in the Saratov region, the salary was required to deduct the employees of kindergartens, libraries and schools of the region.

In July of the same year, this happened in the Volgograd region. Employees of the Budarinsky Psychoneurological boarding school spoke about voluntarily compulsory requisitions.

In St. Petersburg, social workers in a single impulse, and, according to the assumptions of the authorities, voluntarily, began to weave camouflage networks. This is a scarce product in the Russian army. The special need for them in winter and at the beginning of spring, when there are no foliage on the trees, and nothing covers positions or equipment.

In May 2023, in four regions of Siberia and the Far East, state employees were forced to give money to war. From people were demanded from 1 to 6 thousand, and those who did not want to maintain Russian aggression with a ruble were threatened with dismissal and even sending to the "front end".