Georgian workers continue central city protest

More than a hundred Georgian workers from the Kazreti district are protesting in the capital city today in demand of better working conditions.

Chanting protesters marched to the Government Administration building in Tbilisi. At midday there were more than a hundred demonstrators crowded into the square outside the building.

Around 2pm, four workers entered the building to negotiate with members of the Prime Minister's Administration. The protesters said they were not sure who they would meet but wanted to voice their concerns and demands personally to Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

The striking workers arrived in the square holding Georgian Dream flags. The group said they supported Georgian Dream during the elections and now wanted to reach out to the Government for help.

The protestors are demanding an improvement in working conditions, social insurance and reinstatement of redundant employees.

The workers said they had been on strike for a long time and were demanding protection of their rights.

The situation began when workers earlier said they were being forced to work in "slave-like conditions” and when they protested this, more than 180 employees were fired.

Following this incident, remaining workers supported their colleagues and have been on strike for several weeks.

At today’s protest, an argument erupted between demonstrators and members of the opposition Jondi Bagaturia and Dimitri Lortkipanidze.

The protestors demanded the politicians leave the rally as they did not want to turn today’s protest into a political event.

The strikers said that they did not have political demands and their labour dispute had nothing to do with politics.

They said they were less interested in who will be in Government and were more interested in having their wishes listened to.