Russian bishop warns employers that wages arrears threaten their souls

Nonpayment of wages to workers and unfair payment of workers are forms of extortion, and as such are a mortal sin, Bishop Aristarchus of Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk has warned. “The Church considers the situation impermissible: there is no place for deception, a criminal activity that compromises lawful human rights, in the economic relations between employers and their toilers,” the cleric said.

Aristarchus’ parish, in Kuzbass (Kuznetsk Basin), southwestern Siberia, consists largely of coal miners, and the local administration has calculated that employers there owe their 5762 workers a total of 89.6 million rubles ($2.9 million).

Earlier this month, the Russian Orthodox Church signed an agreement with the Federal Bailiffs Service to take part in its efforts to collect debts, especially alimony payments. The Church agreed to encourage debt repayment in sermons and to send priests to work with debtors in the agency’s offices.