Most laborers worked under informal agreements, which meant they lacked the legal standing to claim back pay. When Yersinia pestis triggered the workplace quarantine, the sudden halt in production left them without a cent. For many, this sparked a debt trap. They borrowed from local lenders at predatory rates just to survive the lockdown.
Legal status shifted from "employee" to "liability" almost overnight. Some workers saw their internal passports seized or their residence permits revoked during the administrative chaos of the health crisis. Without these documents, returning to their home regions became a legal nightmare. They now exist as undocumented migrants in their own country.
The financial blow was permanent for those without family safety nets. They didn't just lose a few weeks of wages; they lost their economic trajectory. Many now scavenge or take high-risk manual jobs in the taiga to pay off old debts. The state provides no compensation for the lost time. For these workers, legal recourse is a luxury they simply cannot afford.
