Miners rally in Tkibuli, demand back pay, resolution of mining operations
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Up to 30 miners went to the mine in Georgia’s western Tkibuli municipality and have plans to stay there until their employer gives them and others their salaries and the government decides on the fate of mines.
Work has been suspended in the Mindeli and Dzidziguri mines of Tkibuli since July 16, 2018 after a fatal explosion left four miners died and six others injured.
The Georgian government invited German experts to study the situation in the mines and promised salaries and insurance coverage before the mines are reopened.
We should have received our salaries [one month salary] before September 15. However, we have not received it yet. We have nothing to cover our everyday needs, bank obligations and communal fees,” miners say.
The miners stated that the mines are “the only source of income” for many of the families in Tkibuli and demanded from the government to tell them whether the mines will reopen or not.
Saknakhshiri says that with the help of the government more than 20 million GEL has been spent on salaries over the past 13 months, the time mines were closed. They say that they are in talks with the government to gives miners their August salary. Photo: Netgazeti.ge.
The professional union says that the conclusion of the German experts was delivered in December 2018 and the government “has not yet shared it with us or any involved parties.”
Georgian Minister of Economy has urged the employer pay the salaries and meet the contract obligations.
The ministry stated that the conclusion of the German DMT company revealed safety violations in Tkibuli mines and Sakhshiri was given recommendations to eradicate the flaws one year ago.
Meeting the recommendations will lead to the reopening of the mines,” the ministry reports.
Saknakhshiri, a daughter company of Georgian Industrial Group (GIG), which owns the mines, says that the company faces financial problems due to the suspended work, promising giving the salaries to miners at the beginning of October.
Contracts read that we have the obligation to give salaries between the 15th and 27th of the month. However, we have always given salaries before the 15th. It is the first time the process was delayed,” Saknakhshiri says.
In 2018, 29 died and 24 received injuries at the workplace. Of the 29 deaths, 11 were miners.
Georgian public defender Nino Lomjaria stated last week that 106 people have died and 305 received injures at the workplace in 2018-2019.
Several of fifteen miners of the Georgian Manganese in Georgia's western town of Chiatura have sewn their mouths in protest as the company refuses to fulfil their demands regarding increased salaries.
The Georgian Health and Labour Ministry has inspected 84 companies since August this year and revealed safety-related and other types of violations in 81 of them.
Miners to continue receiving wages
A technical study inspecting the safety norms of mines in Georgia has been launched, the results of which will be announced in December 2018, says the Economy Minister Giorgi Kobulia.
Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze has announced the closure of Mindeli coal mine where four died and six injured as a result of a methane explosion earlier this morning. The mine will be closed until the investigation is over. The employees of the mine will be given their monthly salary during the time the mine will be closed.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that investors and employers must fully meet their financial obligations and ensure appropriate working conditions for their personnel, in a response to an ongoing miners’ protest in Georgia’s Tkibuli municipality, where workers are demanding salaries and a decision on the reopening of two mines.
Miners in the western Georgian mining town of Tkibuli have stopped their protest today as they have been promised to be paid their salaries on Monday, Georgian Minister of Economy Natia Turnava said yesterday after meeting with Saknakhshiri, a daughter company of Georgian Industrial Group (GIG) and miners.
The new owner of the Tkibuli mines, Steel International Trade Company, has fully paid the salaries of miners formerly on strike demanding back pay, announced Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava today.
About 200 miners of the Dzidziguri mine went on strike in Tkibuli region of western Georgia earlier today after the employer demanded they use the tunnel of Mindeli mine to reach their regular work site, which they say ‘takes too much time and effort.’
About 200 miners have been on strike in Tkibuli, western Georgia since March 13, demanding better working conditions and the pay for missed days.
Nine miners in Georgia’s western Tkibuli municipality are on strike in a mine refusing to come out, protesting against receiving the halved salaries in January. Tamaz Dolaberidze of the Georgian Trade Unions Confederation said that due to less coal mining activity than planned in January, the miners were paid less by Saknakhshiri coal mining company.
Miners in the western Georgian town of Chiatura are on strike demanding a pay increase of 50% of their salaries. The miners plan to continue their strike until their demands are fulfilled.
Preliminary investigation has shown the blasting operation was carried out in violation of safety rules in the Tkibuli town mine in Georgia’s west, where an explosion claimed the life of one worker and injured eight others, the Labour Inspection Service of Georgia has said.