The number of employees of Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Plant (KZHRK) taking part in the underground protest has increased to 62, said Mikhail Volynets, leader of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU), on his Facebook page on Monday.
“62 workers of the Oktyabrskaya mines (24 people) and Rodina (38 people) of KZhRK continue their underground protest. The 60 miners, who have been protesting for 26 days, were joined by two signalmen - yesterday, during the third shift, the women refused to rise to the surface, ”Volynets stated.
Earlier, Volynets stated that the maximum number of protesting workers underground at four mines of KZhRK reached 414 people.
As reported, on September 3, the miners of the Oktyabrskaya mine of the KZhRK remained underground as part of a protest, later they were joined by workers from other mines of the enterprise.
The requirements of workers are general: an increase in wages, an improvement in working conditions, the return of preferential service according to lists 1, 2, the termination of violations during certification. Administration of KZHRK within the framework of a memorandum of understanding and fulfillment of counterclaims signed with the employees of the enterprise increased from September 1 this year tariff rates and salaries by 10-25%. The protesters are demanding a 30% pay rise.
In turn, the administration of KZHRK announced the forced stop of the enterprise due to the blocking of production facilities by the protesters. At the same time, the board announced a staff reduction due to the forced stop of production.
KZHRK specializes in underground iron ore mining.
Starmill Limited owns 99.88% of the plant's shares.
Operational management of the enterprise is carried out by the Privat group.
