In Transcarpathia, they plan to attract workers from Bangladesh: social networks exploded with discussions

The news about the plans of the furniture company “Lamella” in the Tyachiv community to attract 160 workers from the Republic of Bangladesh caused a violent reaction in society. The company, which has been successfully operating since 2001 and exports products to Europe, claims a labor shortage, which is why it is forced to look for personnel abroad. On the one hand, this step looks logical, taking into account the expansion of production capacity, but on the other hand, it causes a wave of questions and discussions in social networks, among citizens and experts.

Myroslav Biletskyi’s statement

The head of Zakarpattia OVA, Myroslav Biletskyi stated:

“The company has been operating since 2001, and during this time it managed to grow from a small workshop for the production of furniture parts to a large manufacturer whose goods are exported to European countries. They take care of their employees here: free lunches, transportation to the place of work within a radius of 50 km, and the average the salary is UAH 25 thousand. 430 people work here, and in connection with the increase in production capacity, there are 700 The business, which created all the conditions, bought equipment and materials, is in dire need of workers.

Now the company is negotiating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the employment of 160 people from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh under the terms of the employment contract.”

He emphasized that “Lamella” offers decent working conditions: free food, transport to work and an average salary of 25 thousand hryvnias. However, the issue of attracting foreign workers caused both support and sharp criticism among Ukrainians.

Support and criticism of the initiative

The initiative of the Head of the Zakarpattia OVA, Myroslav Biletskyi, began to be widely discussed in social networks, it found both support and criticism from Ukrainians. We will provide comments that reflect the general mood in society regarding her.

“This is a normal world practice. In many European countries, companies have long been attracting migrants to work due to a lack of local personnel. If our people go abroad to earn money, why can’t we use a similar approach?”, – believes Oleksandr Holovaty, economist and lecturer at the Kyiv University of Economics.

He is echoed by Maria Ivanchuk, head of an HR agency in Lviv:

“A salary of 25,000 hryvnias is a truly competitive offer for the region. If local people are not interested, attracting foreign workers is a chance for the company to maintain production at a high level. Both the region and the state will benefit from this.”

Some Ukrainians call for understanding:

“This is the economy. If the enterprise does not work, it will affect the entire region. Why do we always look for the negative?”.

However, there are much more negative comments. Petro Kovalchuk, a local activist from the Tyachiv community, believes that the problem lies in the attitude towards employees:

“Why do local people not want to work? Maybe it’s not a matter of salary, but of working conditions or the policy of the enterprise itself. First, we need to find out these reasons, and not bring people from abroad.”

Halyna Romanyuk, a teacher from Transcarpathia, also expressed her dissatisfaction:

“We are talking about the development of our region, and instead of creating decent conditions for the locals, we invite people from the other side of the world. And how will these workers integrate into our culture?”.

Anton Sydorenko, a former Lamella employee, points out the company’s real problems:

“I worked there for half a year. Yes, the salaries sound good on paper, but the reality is completely different. Overtime hours, constant control, and not everyone gets the promised 25 thousand hryvnias. Locals leave because they don’t want such conditions.”

In addition, some sarcastically note:

“Soon, Bengali will be heard more than Ukrainian in Transcarpathia.”

Others write: “Let them first figure out why ours don’t work, and then they bring in migrants.”

Therefore, the question of attracting workers from Bangladesh remains open. On the one hand, this is a signal of the development of the region and the growth of production, but on the other hand, it is a challenge for the local community. Time will tell whether the involvement of foreigners will help stimulate this process.