Miners of Kapan Copper Factory Went On Strike
The workers of a Canadian company producing copper in Syunik region,
Armenia have gone on a strike. A worker told the Armenian service of
RFE/RL this revolt will grow into a mass strike.
The strikers demand a full salary. They pay us only a small part of
it, said one of the strikers.
The salaries of miners were cut as the first wave of the global crisis
hit the world markets, the company worked at 20% of its capacity. Now
the company again works at full capacity but salaries are still low.
`We get 50% of our former salary for already 8 months,' said one of
the workers, complaining that the company has not signed contracts
with them. They were told on April 25 that their contracts would be
ready on May 15 but there are no contracts yet.
Last Friday Robert Faletta, CEO of the company, told that the strike
would be prevented through a bonus plan of payment of salaries.
On Monday the CEO offered to raise their salaries by 5000 drams,
cutting the night shift pay which is 40,000 drams.
After figuring out the bonus plan, the workers announced, `He gives us
100,000, 80,000 but demands work worth 300,000 drams. We can't stand
this ... How can we work day and night under the ground for only 80,000
drams?'
Rubina Ter-Martirosyan, the public relations officer, told RFE/RL at
midday that new proposals will be made to the workers.
At the end of the day the workers informed that they were told the same thing.
The head of the trade union said the bonus plan is not satisfactory so
they will continue the strike.
13:59 30/03/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/country/view/29467
The workers of a Canadian company producing copper in Syunik region,
Armenia have gone on a strike. A worker told the Armenian service of
RFE/RL this revolt will grow into a mass strike.
The strikers demand a full salary. They pay us only a small part of
it, said one of the strikers.
The salaries of miners were cut as the first wave of the global crisis
hit the world markets, the company worked at 20% of its capacity. Now
the company again works at full capacity but salaries are still low.
`We get 50% of our former salary for already 8 months,' said one of
the workers, complaining that the company has not signed contracts
with them. They were told on April 25 that their contracts would be
ready on May 15 but there are no contracts yet.
Last Friday Robert Faletta, CEO of the company, told that the strike
would be prevented through a bonus plan of payment of salaries.
On Monday the CEO offered to raise their salaries by 5000 drams,
cutting the night shift pay which is 40,000 drams.
After figuring out the bonus plan, the workers announced, `He gives us
100,000, 80,000 but demands work worth 300,000 drams. We can't stand
this ... How can we work day and night under the ground for only 80,000
drams?'
Rubina Ter-Martirosyan, the public relations officer, told RFE/RL at
midday that new proposals will be made to the workers.
At the end of the day the workers informed that they were told the same thing.
The head of the trade union said the bonus plan is not satisfactory so
they will continue the strike.
13:59 30/03/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/country/view/29467