14 May 2004 11:54
Siberian power plant construction workers moot strike over arrears
Krasnoyarsk, 14 May: The situation in the builders' collective of the Boguchany hydroelectric power station in
Krasnoyarsk Territory is "rapidly reaching boiling point", Nikolay Yuvkin, trade union leader of the power
plant that is being constructed on Angara River for nearly 30 years, told RIA today.
The construction workers have not received their wages in full for four months, Yuvkin said. Total arrears are close
to R40m [about 1.4m dollars]. Last time workers received "May Day advance payment" of R1,000 each.
Meanwhile, the workers have been told that the Unified Energy System of Russia [UES] had transferred R50m back in
April. However, for some reason the money has not reached the construction site yet, Yuvkin said.
In such a situation of chronic lack of money, the carpenters' team has already stopped working. "This
legitimate protest action" may quite well find many supporters, Yuvkin added.
[RIA news agency] |
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