Employees of Mykolaivvodokanal warn about the collapse and the sale of the enterprise for a pittance

Employees of “Mykolaivvodokanal” addressed the residents and authorities of Mykolaiv with a public video appeal, in which they warned that the actions of the new management, in their view, threaten to dismantle the municipal enterprise with its subsequent transfer into private hands. They demand the dismissal of the recently appointed General Director Gennadiy Izyumov and an inspection of the supervisory board’s work.

The recording was published on Facebook by Ihor Bloshko; the video featured representatives of various services and workshops, who emphasized that they are speaking as consumers just like all the residents of Mykolaiv.

We are residents of the city just like you: the same water runs from our taps as from yours, we pay the same money for utilities. Every day we work so that there is water in people’s homes. But right now we need your help.

According to the employees, during initial meetings with the new manager the idea was voiced of transforming the enterprise’s status from municipal to private. The staff believe that such a scenario could begin by artificially bringing the utility to a critical state and subsequently selling off assets at a minimal price.

To do this, they first need to destroy the enterprise so they can then sell it for a pittance. After that the new owner will raise tariffs, cut spending on equipment and wages. There will be new dismissals. He will be interested in his own profit, not the interests of the residents of Mykolaiv.

Separately, the employees state that the new management is showing incompetence and giving dangerous and illogical instructions, in particular: “work without dump trucks” and “dump soil and mud onto the roadway”.

The appeal also emphasizes the importance of preserving the company’s professional core, including the possible return of former technical director Vasyl Telpis, and reports the dismissal of the heads of several workshops. The employees set out consolidated demands and appealed to the city residents for support.

We work under shelling, during air raid alerts, restoring the network after damage so that the city’s residents have water. We appeal to the people of Mykolaiv: let us not allow the enterprise to be dismantled and privatized. Our demands are — the dismissal of Izyumov, an audit of the supervisory board’s activities, the return of Telpis (with his consent), the cancellation of orders to reduce workshop managers, and also increases in wages and job grades for employees.

Previously the situation at the enterprise had already been brought up for public discussion: city council deputies urged the mayor to start an investigation into events at “Mykolaivvodokanal”. At the same time, the current management of the municipal enterprise publicly stated that there is a deep crisis and manifestations of corruption which, they say, had been covered up for a long time

Earlier we wrote:

• Scandal in Mykolaiv: deputies demand the mayor investigate the conflict in the water utility’s leadership
• Supervisory board of Mykolaivvodokanal: 5 members, 177.5 thousand UAH per month and the power to dismiss the director
• A rebellion erupted at “Mykolaivvodokanal” against the new director: the staff want to appeal to Senkevych
• New increase in water tariffs in Mykolaiv
• The water will be new — but what about tariffs? Mykolaiv residents again fear that prices will rise