Hundreds of miners on strike in Georgia

Workers of mines and plants belonging to Georgian Manganese company in Chiatura, Western Georgia, are on strike. Georgian Manganese is part of the British steel giant Stemcor.

According to the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG), an IndustriALL affiliate, the average wage at the Chiatura mining facilities is only 250 USD. This is way below the national average of 400 USD. Workers are demanding a 100 per cent increase.

Workers are on strike for five days now. TUMMCIWG president Tamaz Dolaberidze says, “The administration still doesn’t negotiate with the workers. They are not giving up either, and the strike goes on.”

Workers demand better pay, safer working conditions and the dismissal of the director of production.

Local authorities met with Georgian Manganese management on 18 October, but no results were achieved.

Workers say that if the company doesn’t begin proper negotiations they’ll go on hunger strike.