Strike Finished With Results – Requirements of Railway Workers to Be Implemented

Humanrights.ge 

After the negotiation with the Council of Directors at the Georgian Railway the workers stopped strike late at night of November 14. According to the Confederation of Georgian Trade Unions, the negotiations lasted six hours and all requirements of the New Trade Union of Railway Workers were satisfied. The parties even signed a protocol, based on which the railway administration officially took responsibility to satisfy their requests. 

Over 2000 railway workers went on strike in the morning of November 14. They had sent their requirements to the railway administration a month ago but nobody paid attention to them from the department. Their main requirements were improvement of social and working conditions.

As a result of negotiations, after the problems were resolved in favor of the workers, the chairperson of the New Trade Union of Railway Workers Vitaly Giorgadze informed his colleagues that their requests soon will be satisfied: reimbursement of extra working hours, increase of salaries according to their working experience and introduction of bonus system. He said the administration agreed to satisfy all three requirements.

Financial Director of the Georgian Railway Irakli Titvinidze said they had constructive dialogue with the representatives of the Trade Union.

“During conversation, we excluded all radical requirements and reached agreements on most problematic issues of the railway workers. It includes introduction of bonus system, reimbursement of extra working hours and salaries according to the working experience. This agreement will work to every worker,” Irakli Titvinidze said.

Chairman of the Confederation of Georgian Trade Unions Irakli Petriashvili said the strike of railway workers ended with significant results and appreciated the approach of part of the administration towards the fact. 

Currently, the New Trade Union of the Railway Workers is waiting for the implementation of their promise and hopes for signing agreement on collective negotiation.