Up to 400 striking workers of IDS Borjomi blocked entrances of both bottling plants of the mineral water on Monday, demanding payment of their salaries, reinstatement of 50 “illegally fired employees” and humane working conditions. 

They claimed that the company management had plans to “punish” them and fill their positions with those from other Georgian regions, Ukrainians and Russians and “ensure higher salaries for them.”

"This decision by IDS Borjomi Georgia serves to artificially escalate the situation and we place full responsibility for the developments on both the company and the Georgian government, as the government has done nothing to de-escalate the situation," the protesters said in a statement released today.

The employees of two bottling plants of IDS Borjomi Georgia, who have been on strike for several days, have the following demands: 

Immediate reinstatement of 50 illegally dismissed employees. 

Return to old contracts and increase in salaries by 25%. As well as dismissal of individuals engaged with coercion, pressure and blackmail. 

Transition from fixed-term contracts to perpetual contracts. 

Concluding a collective agreement.

The Borjomi controlling stake has been owned by Alfa Group since 2013 which was founded by currently sanctioned Russian billionaire, businessman Mikhail Friidmam. 

The strike of Borjomi bottling plant workers started on May 31 after the mediation process ended in vain. 

According to Merab Akhmeteli, head of one of the bottling plants, the company is in a “difficult situation, accounts are frozen, 80 percent of production and exports are suspended.” 

He suggested that 630 people are currently employed in both plants and "only a part of them are participating in the strike." 

He said that the increase in salaries in the “very complicated situation” was unlikely. 

The mineral water company is the main source of income for the population in Borjomi, eastern Georgia. 

The local opposition suggested that the closure of the plants would put not only each person employed there, but the entire municipality in a difficult situation. 

Both bottling plants have been suspended since April 29 due to sanctions imposed on Russia.  

On May 19, IDS Borjomi  controlling company, offered the Georgian government to transfer part of its shares free of charge. 

The Ministry of Economy said that they were studying the proposal, later its terms would be submitted to the Ministry of Justice and only after that the information would be made public. 

On May 21, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told the media that Borjomi's shares would be given as a gift to Georgia and that they would no longer have problems in the work.