OREANDA-NEWS. September 29, 2010. An increase of the first base wage rate from 1 November 2010 will take the salary of the public sector workers up 30% on the average (Br135,000). Thus, the wages will exceed the minimal consumer budget, and, hence, strengthen the workers’ social security.

“The program for social and economic development of the Republic of Belarus for 2006-2010 envisages an average salary of USD 500 by the end of 2010. The current five-year period was focused on a gradual increase of wages of both real and public sector employees,” the minister noted.

The year of 2010 is the final in this five-year period showing its overall results. This year the salary has increased several times – in January and June. In September there was an increase in low-wage labor remuneration as well as the wages for several categories of socio-cultural workers.

According to Marianna Shchetkina, the minimum subsistence wage is a state minimal social standard in remuneration of labor ensuring social security of workers. In line with the law of the Republic of Belarus “On the order of increasing the minimum subsistence wage”, the minimum subsistence wage (both monthly and hourly) is set by the Council of Ministers once a year, on 1 January, proceeding from the current employment and labor productivity; the worker’s needs in material values and services; the average wage, pension, scholarship, grant, compensation and other social payments. On 1 January 2010 the minimum subsistence wage was set at the level of Br258,600. The wages in every sector of the economy had been gradually increased and made up Br1,286,900 (nearly USD 430) in August 2010.