NAIRIT WORKERS CONTINUE TO PROTEST BUT HOPELESS ABOUT OUTCOME
02.25.2015 10:04 epress.am
Nairit Factory employees protested again in front of the Presidential
Palace yesterday, February 24, demanding that their salaries of 18
months were paid; the workers, however, "do not expect much from the
Armenian authorities." Note, that during the February 23rd protest the
Nairit employees did not receive an answer from the President's office.
Despite many journalists being present at the protest, there were
few interviews or comments; the employees demands were clear, the
impossibility of the government to meet their demands also.
When asked "What are you expecting from the government?" the Nairit
workers answer, "We have absolutely no hope, we come here but have
no hope. There needs to be a government in order for us to expect
something, but there isn't one. If the president doesn't give a damn
about the people, what can we demand? We come here hopeless," said
a middle aged male protest participant.
During the protest the factory workers spoke about the injustice
around the current situation. One of the protesters recalled that
even former PM Tigran Sargsyan's brother, former deputy-director of
Nairit, Ashot Sargsyan, received his salary. The workers also spoke
about possible solutions, for example, it was noted that they could
continue to work the factory and cover their debts.
"Tigran Sargsyan's brother left with a final salary of 43 million AMD.
How many workers' salaries would that cover? When it comes to them,
they don't need to wait for the property sale, unlike us. The factory
hasn't worked for five years, they have audited it a thousand times,
every time they've spent $110,000. Why is the same calculation being
done a thousand times?" said a protester, urging the company to spend
their scarce resources efficiently.
Note, that the protesters were less in number compared to their last
protest. They explained that the older pensioners have money to spend
on transportation, however the younger workers do not have any source
of income.
http://www.epress.am/en/2015/02/25/nairit-workers-continue-to-protest-but-hopeless-about-outcome.html
From: A. Papazian
02.25.2015 10:04 epress.am
Nairit Factory employees protested again in front of the Presidential
Palace yesterday, February 24, demanding that their salaries of 18
months were paid; the workers, however, "do not expect much from the
Armenian authorities." Note, that during the February 23rd protest the
Nairit employees did not receive an answer from the President's office.
Despite many journalists being present at the protest, there were
few interviews or comments; the employees demands were clear, the
impossibility of the government to meet their demands also.
When asked "What are you expecting from the government?" the Nairit
workers answer, "We have absolutely no hope, we come here but have
no hope. There needs to be a government in order for us to expect
something, but there isn't one. If the president doesn't give a damn
about the people, what can we demand? We come here hopeless," said
a middle aged male protest participant.
During the protest the factory workers spoke about the injustice
around the current situation. One of the protesters recalled that
even former PM Tigran Sargsyan's brother, former deputy-director of
Nairit, Ashot Sargsyan, received his salary. The workers also spoke
about possible solutions, for example, it was noted that they could
continue to work the factory and cover their debts.
"Tigran Sargsyan's brother left with a final salary of 43 million AMD.
How many workers' salaries would that cover? When it comes to them,
they don't need to wait for the property sale, unlike us. The factory
hasn't worked for five years, they have audited it a thousand times,
every time they've spent $110,000. Why is the same calculation being
done a thousand times?" said a protester, urging the company to spend
their scarce resources efficiently.
Note, that the protesters were less in number compared to their last
protest. They explained that the older pensioners have money to spend
on transportation, however the younger workers do not have any source
of income.
http://www.epress.am/en/2015/02/25/nairit-workers-continue-to-protest-but-hopeless-about-outcome.html
From: A. Papazian