OBROCHISHTE MINERS STAGED A NEW PROTEST

Only ten days after reaching an agreement with the concessionaire of the mine, the workers from Obrochiste mine staged a new protest on 4th of April. The hunger strike of the miners continues for a second day. The miners stopped working because the concessionaire of the manganese mine failed to comply with the preliminary agreement on a collective agreement. It was signed after nearly two weeks of protests and a hunger strike. The February wages were paid on 3rd of April, but food vouchers have been delayed for two months. The workers again insist on receiving the promised increase of the monthly wages.

20 miners have protested underground and have not come up to the surface for a second day.

Ivailo Todorov, a trade union leader says that on 3rd of April, two of the protesting workers had to be taken out because of high blood pressure and one of them was on insulin treatment and these medical conditions were too risky.

The miners said that because of the protests the employer was exercising pressure by not fulfilling the social commitments such as payment of expenses for electricity, rent and water.

One of the miners explained that some of his colleagues who used the accommodation, electricity and water allowances, provided by the employer, were refused to get paid because they were in the forefront of the protest.

The trade union leader said that it was promised during previous talks following protests, that no repression would be exercised on the workers, in order to make them come back to work, but their power supply was cut off yesterday.

During the previous protest, the miners agreed with the employer to get pay rise. The annexes to the contracts of employment envisaging a monthly wage of 600 BGN have not been signed yet.

Silvia Dimitrova says that the montly rent she pays is 250 BGN and her latests electricity bill was 135 BGN. “Ï have a son who is a school student and I am a lonely mother,” she added.

According to another worker, Pavel Konstantinov, the state should adopt laws which require such employers to not delay payments.

The labour inspectorate issued 13 acts for violations in Evromanganm mine for March.

The labour inspectorate referred to the Prosecutor’s Office because of regular refusals by employers to assist control authorities.