Ukraine: Four employees of the coal-mining enterprise still on hunger strike

In the Donetsk region, three female employees of the coal mine ‘Kurakhivska’ of the state-owned coal-mining enterprise "Selydivvugillya" continued their hunger strike against wage arrears. Yesterday morning (08 January) the employee of the coal chemistry laboratory №3 of mine "Kurakhivska " joined this protest action.

According to the deputy Chairperson of the local organization of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine in Selydovo and Novogrodivka, Sergii Pavlov, employees of the non-industrial group at the SOE " Selydivvugillya" dare continuing their protest against wage nonpayment. They come to work, but are not performing their jobs.

Four employees of the SOE "Selydivvugillya" began a hunger strike on 2 January, as they did not received wages for September, October, November and December, as well as part of the wages for June.

According to the Chairperson of the Confederation of Free trade Unions of Ukraine and the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine Mykhailo Volynets, the protest action of the workers of the non-industrial group SE "Selidivugollya" began on 17th December and as it didn’t bring any results, four employees decided to start a hunger strike.

“The administration of the company, along with the heads of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, managed to pay some part of wages to the employees. For example, one of the participants of the protest Natalia Mnednikova got 2400 UAH ($87), while the monthly salary for female protesters amounts to 3000-3200 UAH ($109-116). The product prices are quite at the same level as in European countries. Some employees of a non-industrial group of the SOE "Selydivvugillya" are single mothers and in some cases, all adults family members work at this enterprise. I would like to remind that employees of the non-industrial group SOE "Selidovugollya" haven’t got 30% of wages for September and wages for October, November and December 2018. Also, there are wage arrears for previous years, including for underground workers”.

Mykhailo Volynets told that four female protesters held their protest on Christmas Eve (in Ukraine most orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 7 January) and sleep on mattresses in cold room.

“There is cold weather in Donetsk region and its -6 C outside. In the room where protesters are holding a hunger strike is cold. One of the protesters Ms Iryna Strykalova felt ill. The doctors said that she can have flue due to unhealthy conditions in room or flu and insisted on ending her hunger strike. Other participants of the action also have some health problems. Maya Lewandowska has high blood pressure and cardiac angina. She got medical assistance’.

KVPU information