Waste management service employee fired after going on strike, complaining of work conditions

Cleaning and waste management company Tbilservice Group’s employee Irakli Baghdavadze has been fired after he went on strike complaining of working conditions and demanding a raise in payment with several other employees on August 6. 

Tbilisi City Hall stated that Baghdavadze was fired for ‘organising an illegal strike of a labour group and for confronting and threatening employees,’ local media outlet Netgazeti reports. 

Baghdavadze claims that he was fired from the job due to his protest, saying that he has started his hunger strike and ‘will not stop until justice is restored.’

Either justice or death. I ask Georgia to stand by me. I stay in the street unemployed with debts,” Baghdavadze said. 

Baghdavadze discussed the possible corruption in waste management service on the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi on August 17. 

The striking employees demanded a raise in payment, new uniforms, free health insurance and ‘inviolability’ due to protest. 

The strike ended on August 9 after employees received the salary increase promise from the Tbilisi City Hall starting 2022.