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International Federation of Trade Unions Reminded Mikheil Saakashvili of Workers Rights

May 11, 2010
 Tamta Kakauridze, Zestaponi

International Federation of the Trade Unions of the World and Trade Unions of various countries got interested in the problems of the workers of Zestaponi Ferro Factory and Chiatura Mine. The strikes of the workers in Zestaponi and Chiatura on April 20-22 had the result.

On May 6, representative of the International Federation of Trade Union of the Workers in the Fields of Chemistry, Energetic, Mining and Related Fields (ICEM) Manfred Varda and representative of the Chemical Industry Kemal Ozkan met the administration of the United Trade Union of Georgia and workers of the Ferro Factory. Varda and Ozkan, in the name of the TU of the Metallurgists and Miners, will study the situation at the place within one week; they will also investigate the facts of violence against the Trade Union of Georgia; they will also collect information about the rights of workers. Supposedly, the governor of Georgia will involve this process.

“Today, Zestaponi and Chiatura symbolize the workers rights throughout the world. ICEM unifies nearly 180 organizations and 20 million members throughout the world. They support and express their solidarity to these people. Your struggle had some positive result. I hope, the head of the administration, Vishnevski and his colleagues will listen to the employees more attentively. But if you face some problems, I am ready to gather the Trade Unions of the world in support of them. The whole world learned that your government is inviting international companies and offers them to start business in Georgia. However, it should not happen at the expense of the interests of the local people and employees. We will make the government of Georgia respect the workers rights,” said Manfred Varda in his interview with the humanrights.ge.

The TU and its national labor center, Georgian Trade Union Coalition oppose the administrations of the Zestaponi Ferro Factory and Chiatura Manganese Mine.

Administration of the Georgian Manganese and shareholders were against involvement of the Georgian Trade Union Coalition in the negotiations with the workers saying -“These people will resolve their problems without TU.” However, the workers categorically demanded to involve the TU in the negotiation process as an organization protecting the rights of the workers.

“Administration of the Georgian Manganese is afraid and does not know how to fight against the newly established TU. They try to separate the people, though they will not manage to stop us easily. After this strike we will send protest letters to the president of Georgia and chairman of the parliament. Today, 20 million people of the International Federation of the Trade Unions support these people,” said chairman of the Georgian Trade Union Coalition Irakli Petriashvili.

Administration of the Georgian Manganese has already received a letter of Turkish miners regarding the ongoing events in Zestaponi and Chiatura. “We have learned about the dismissal of two workers from your company because of their membership in the TU. We are very sorry that Georgian Manganese tries to reduce the power of the TU and creates groundless conflict. It is unjustified dismissal and contradicts the human rights and rights of the workers. In the name of the Union of Turkish Miners, which unifies more than 20 000 miners, we request you to stop using repressive methods against the workers and call upon you to start dialogue with the workers and their TU,” it was written in the letter which was signed by the President of the Union of Turkish Miners Islam Aslan.

Secretary General of the International Federation of the Trade Unions Gai Rider sent special letter to the president of Georgia. He requested Mikheil Saakashvili to ensure the protection of the fundamental international principles, rights of the workers and freedom of the members of the TU in Georgia.

The Imereti Region Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners requests to recognize them immediately, to renew real negotiations, to increase their salaries significantly, to reimburse the night working hours and to sign permanent labor agreements. Irakli Petriashvili said four requests should be added to the ten main requests of the workers, for what they started the strike: real insurance, reimbursement of the working in dangerous conditions, rationalism of the employees and creation of the pension fund.

ICEM joins the movement in the protection of the employees. Before his departure from Georgia Manfred Varda got in touch with the secretary general of the International Metallurgists Federation Iurk Raina and informed him about the real situation. Raina also expresses his readiness and solidarity in the support of the Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners.

Georgian Trade Union Coalition and Imereti Region Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners stated that if the requirements of the workers are not satisfied completely, they will apply to more large-scaled measures of protest.

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