Miners in western Georgia on 6th day of protests

Miners in Georgia’s western Chiatura municipality have been on strike for six days, demanding improvements in working conditions. 

A meeting with the employer – the Georgian Manganese representatives – on Sunday ended with no deal, Teimuraz Suramelashvili, the mining and chemical industry workers, said. 

“The employer introduced the conditions according to which it offered 8-hour shifts [instead of current 12] again, which is unacceptable for the miners”, Suramelashvili said. 

The reason for the miners’ protest was the change in the work schedule by the company in February of this year. 

The protestors are also demanding decent pay in accordance with the tons of extracted raw materials, as well as labor safety, change of equipment and overalls, ventilation of the trenches, change of insurance company and the cancellation of pension savings. 
The majority of the miners are on strike. 

Levan Ioseliani, the Georgian public defender, on Monday called on the government to mediate between the miners and the company.