{"id":12214,"date":"2017-12-21T18:35:49","date_gmt":"2017-12-21T18:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/?p=12214"},"modified":"2021-02-17T14:57:05","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T14:57:05","slug":"94-ukrainian-miners-on-trial-for-union-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2017\/12\/21\/94-ukrainian-miners-on-trial-for-union-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"94 UKRAINIAN MINERS ON TRIAL FOR UNION PROTEST"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are posting the following appeal from the Ukrainian Solidarity Campaign, which was first posted at:-\u00a0https:\/\/ukrainesolidaritycampaign.org\/2017\/12\/18\/94-ukrainian-miners-on-trial-for-union-protest\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

94 UKRAINIAN MINERS ON TRIAL FOR UNION PROTEST <\/strong><\/p>\n

URGENT APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ukrainian miners of the uranium mine \u201cIngulska\u201d (Kirovohrad region), who were protesting for a wage increase,\u00a0are facing prosecution for holding a protest underground after their shift finished. Court proceedings began against the 94 miners on 18 December in Kropyvnytskyi.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dmytro Bondaryev, leader of the Independent Trade Union of Mineworkers (NGPU) at the mine, states that the miners had to \u00a0 hold the underground protests because of the lack of effective dialogue with the management. \u00a0The miners are demanding\u00a0 wage increase of 50 percent. Dmytro Bondariev says:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe increase wages is very important for the miners. Since August they haven\u2019t been paid bonuses, which is a significant part of the family budget. The average miners\u2019 salary is only UAH 7,400 (231 EUR). Of course, it is not adequate payment for work in dangerous and unhealthy conditions\u201d \u2013\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

According to Dmytro Bondaryev, another factor that the employers plan a reorganization at the mine, leading to of miners fear of job losses.\u00a0\u00a0 According to the national leader of NGPU Mykhailo Volynets:<\/p>\n

\u201cMiners of mine \u201cIngulska\u201d work in dangerous conditions, but it\u2019s not officially recognized as harmful working conditions. Wages at the mine are not decent. The administration of the enterprise should begin a dialogue with the trade union and stop the pressure on the activists.<\/p>\n

At the court proceedings \u00a0only 9 defendants from 94 didn\u2019t attend . Taking this into considerations, the lawyer of NPGU who represents the defendants in this trial, Anton Zhmurenko, applied to judge for the postponement of the court hearing and ensuring the implementation of defendants right to representation. The court granted this application and rescheduled the next hearing on January 18, 2018<\/p>\n

The miners are also applying for the disqualification of the judge who it was noted, in violation the Civil Procedural Code of Ukraine, discussed organizational issues in this case with the employer\u2019s representative.<\/p>\n

Ukraine Solidarity Campaign calls for solidarity with the 94 miners to stop this political trial designed to intimidate the independent miners\u2019 union.<\/p>\n

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Also see:<\/strong><\/p>\n

MASS STRIKES AND OCCUPATIONS BY UKRAINIAN\u00a0MINERS<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n