Miners on strike in Georgia’s western town of Chiatura sew mouths in protest

Several of fifteen miners of the Georgian Manganese in Georgia's western town of Chiatura have sewn their mouths in protest as the company refuses to fulfil their demands regarding increased salaries.

The miners went on strike on May 15, demanding a 50 per cent increase in salaries, improved healthcare, working conditions and nutrition and banning the movement of the company’s heavy vehicles in the town, polluting the environment.

Miners say that they risk their lives on a daily basis. Photo: reginfo. 

Georgian Manganese says it is sustaining one million GEL in daily losses and the state is losing half a million USD in exports due to the protest. However, they state a 50 per cent salary increase “is inappropriate and unrealistic.”  

The company says that the protest is illegal, adding that their lawyers will appeal to the court against the workers for violating their contract conditions.

We have offered a 25 per cent increase in salaries. The increase would be carried out at the expense of a decrease of administrative expenses. However, they refused to agree,” Financial Director of Georgian Manganese Merab Lominadze said.

He stated that the company employees 3,200 people and their average salary is 1,000 GEL [359 USD].

Workers say that they offered 30 per cent increase at least. However, the company stated that only a 25 per cent increase was possible.

We risk our lives on a daily basis for a salary which is too low, 500-600 GEL [180-215 USD] The company must be handed over to the state and the state must run it. We know the current leadership of the company and they will change nothing”, the miners said.

Georgian Manganese says that the 50 per cent increase in salaries is impossible. 

15 miners who are on hunger strike, say that all of them will sew their mouths shut if their demands are not fulfilled.

Georgian Manganese says that the demands regarding the banning of its heavy vehicles in the town and improved food have already been met.

Members of the Georgian Dream ruling party and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, who were in Chiatura on May 17, tried to mediate negotiations between the company and the miners.

However, no agreement was reached.

Former PM, current political secretary of the ruling party Irakli Garibashvili said that the miners’ demands were fair.

Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated today that the miners' demands are "objective and fair" and urged the parties to come to the outcome as soon as possible, through the intensive dialogue. 

• Georgian Manganese, LLC (GM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Miami, Florida-based Georgian American Alloys (GAA).
• Based in Georgia, GM is the country’s top producer and exporter of silicomanganese.
• GAA’s Georgian holdings are comprised of three divisions: GM’s Chiatura Manganese Mine, a manganese ore mining operation, GM’s Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant, a silico-manganese processing plant, and  Vartsikhe, the hydroelectric facility which powers the Chiatura mine and Zestafoni plant.

Georgian Manganese says the Zestaponi plant may also suspend working due to the situation in Chiatura, as the operations of the two plants are connected.