25 May 2004 10:56
Trade union leaders of Komi mine go on hunger strike
INTA. May 25 (Interfax-Northwest) - Two trade union leaders of the Intinskaya mine in the autonomous republic of Komi
have gone on an indefinite hunger strike, the press service of the Intaugol company said on Tuesday.
Kalimulin said that the hunger strike "has won support from
a large number of miners. However, in an attempt to avoid any
The striking trade union leaders, Fanil Kalimulin and Eduard Butskoi, are even refusing to drink water.
stoppage in the production process, the trade union leaders have decided not to involve other miners."
Kalimulin and Butskoi have asked the mine's administration to pay off wage arrears, draw up a schedule for
payments to the pension fund, compensate the miners' transportation costs and make other social payments. The
miners' back wages currently stand at 124 million rubles, Kalimulin said, adding that the payment of wages is 2.5
months behind schedule.
The two men also want the mine's tariffs and wages to be raised in line with inflation rates.
The mine's high-paid workers receive an average salary of 6,500 rubles a month, while miners working on the
surface get a mere 1,700 rubles.
Intaugol General Director Vadim Larin said that "given the current situation in the company and its enterprises,
this action appears strange to say the least. The company's administration and trade unions have focused their
efforts on the main task, namely attempts to obtain funds for the Zapadnaya-bis and Kapitalnaya mines, which are about
to be closed. Several hundred people are in a difficult situation, which is incomparable with the conditions of
employees of the Intinskaya and Vostochnaya mines. The workers of [the Zapadnaya-bis and Kapitalnaya mines] may lose
their sources of income altogether," Larin said. [RU EUROPE EEU EMRG LEG LAW ENK] tm tj
[Interfax] |
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