This is how whistleblowing works in Central Asia. One metal pipes production factory in Kazakhstan had a workplace accident recently. The woman, mother of two, employee of the factory, died immediately after being pressed under tons of metal pipes which fell down on her from the storing racks. Inspector of Employment Agency found that company violated storing rules for metal pipes. But no one was punished. Nobody got in jail for the accident. However, the company was “strictly ordered” by the agency “to store pipes correctly”. Couple months later, the company’s warehouse employee blows a whistle reporting the agency that problem is still there waiting for the next victim. Nothing was fixed. Even the order of the agency has not been followed through. Do you want to know what that hero employee has got as a result of him blowing whistle? Well here is a shortest list: (i) he had plenty of both, friendly and hard, talks with his managers; (ii) security department of the company showed at his home threatening him physically; (iii) management framed-up case against him; (iv) boycotts; and (v) he has been fired. Looks like same as everywhere. Nothing new, right? But the difference is huge, and it makes Central Asia business environment very specific. Right after the report was made to Employment Agency – the agency turned ‘deaf and blind’ simultaneously. Of course, they even never heard about preventing retaliation or protecting whistleblower! To top it all the same agency tried to prove him that everything was fixed - take it easy buddy! But the fact is that this employee spoke up but has recently been fired and is still suffering many other consequences of whistleblowing – all that only because he wanted to prevent other deaths in the company. This is how whistleblowing works in Central Asia!
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 04:13:44 +0000
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