Ukraine: In Kryvyi Rih miners from different enterprises fight for rise of wages

On 4th of May in Kryvyi Rih, miners from the Kryvyi Rih IronOre Combine (KZRK) have started the protest underground. The Head of the Independent trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) Mykhailo Volynets informed, that the workers from night shift of mines "Rodina", "Guardiiska", "Ternovskaya" and 10 miners from mine "Oktyabrskaya" didn’t rise to the surface.

On 5th of May the miners from four mines of the Kryvyi Rih IronOre Combine (KZRK), who protested underground, rose to the surface. The initiative group of miners and representatives of primary trade union organization of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) began negotiations with representatives of the administration of the KZRK.

Miners of KZRK require salary increase of at least 50%. The head of the women’s committee of city organization NPGU Elena Maslova said that finally constructive dialogue had begun. “All suggestions and comments were placed on record. For now the protocol of negotiations included two major issues. Firstly, we made agreement that the administration wouldn’t make pressure on the initiators and participants of the protest. Secondly, we agreed to start the detailed discussions on salary increases as soon as possible’.

On 5th of May primary trade union of NPGU of mine ‘Evraz Sukha Balka’ appealed to the administration of enterprise and demanded to increase salary to $ 1,000. Today they informed the Head of NPGU Mykhailo Volynets that today afternoon the miners of first shift were going to stay in mine and protest. “The representatives of enterprise hesitate with constructive measures to raise wages. In the same time they are trying to find activists from Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, who are guilty of these situation”- said Mykhailo Volynets.

On 6th of May 10 miners of a night shift from mine "Artema-1 of enterprise ‘ArcelorMittal-Kriviy Rig’ also refused to rise to the surface. They demanded to rise salaries. Miners finished their protest after negotiations with representatives of ‘ArcelorMittal-Kriviy Rig’. Miners were promised that on May 11 the problem of raising wages will be solved. But trade union is prepared to protest.

‘Requirements of miners of Krivyi Rih are fair. In Ukraine the prices of products and utilities has increased. At the same time, wages of miners of Krivyi Rih are still low. NPGU support Krivyi Rih miners. Also we appreciate the support of international organizations, which helps miners and trade unionists to fight for decent salaries’, - said Mykhailo Volynets.

KVPU