01:10, 23 August 2016

In Rostov Region, miners go on hunger strike

Lamp-lighters from "Zamchalovskaya" mine with a poster at the protest action near the office of the "Kingcoal" company. Photo by Valery Lyugaev for the "Caucasian Knot"

On August 22, in the towns of Zverevo and Gukovo of the Rostov Region, 61 workers of the enterprises of the "Kingcoal" group of companies declared a continuous hunger strike. The protesters demand to pay off wage arrears.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that enterprises of the "Kingcoal" group of companies are at different stages of bankruptcy, and General Director Vladimir Pozhidaev is arrested. On August 19, at a meeting with the authorities, the miners did not get guarantees for payment of wage arrears.

According to Yuri Cheburakov, the chief of the organizational department of the Gukovo territorial committee of the Russian coal miners' trade union, more than 100 miners are waiting for their wages; however, it is still unknown whether the amount from the sale of the "Kingcoal" property will be enough for complete repayment of the wage arrears.

On August 23, the number of hunger-strikers will be doubled, states Tatiana Avacheva, one of the protesters.

The permanent picket in Gukovo, which involves more than 200 people, will be continued, the "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" reports with reference to Tatiana Avacheva.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.