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13 July, 2005ICEM News Release No. 14/1999
Workers at Chernobyl and Ukraine's four other nuclear power stations will launch an indefinite strike on 22 March over unpaid wages.
Their union, the ATU, confirmed this in a message received today by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). The ATU is an ICEM affiliate.
The nuclear workers are now owed more than 15 million US dollars' worth of back pay. They have repeatedly warned that serious underfunding of the sector poses a threat to nuclear safety.
The strike decision was taken after an arbitration board ruled that the nuclear power utility Energoatom is in breach of its collective agreement with the workers. Subsequent attempts at conciliation failed.
The number of protesting workers in the "tent villages" around the power stations has now grown to more than 2,000. They launched a hunger strike on 6 March, and workers in various other Ukrainian sectors have demonstrated in support.
Strikes and underground sit-ins are also continuing in Ukraine's coalmines, where miners are owed pay totalling more than 700 million US dollars. The ICEM-affiliated miners' union MITU has said the strikes will continue indefinitely.
Cash-flow has slowed to a trickle in most parts of the Ukrainian economy. In consequence, most bills go unpaid - or are part-settled with bartered produce. This also applies to the energy bills run up by industrial and other consumers.
After repeated appeals from the nuclear workers' leaders, a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Valery Pustovoitenko finally took place on 5 March. He was informed about the escalation of the union action, and was told that the campaign had gained international support through the ICEM.
It was agreed to set up a special commission, which was due to begin work today. The commission will examine the non-payment of electricity, heating, coal and gas bills and has the authority to cut off supplies to major defaulters.
Further talks are scheduled for tomorrow.
The Ukrainian miners and nuclear workers can count on full international union support, ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe repeated today.
"The situation in Ukraine gives cause for real concern by the world community as a whole," Thorpe said. "The world must insist that these wage debts be paid off without further delay. Major international funding has been pledged for the modernisation of the Ukrainian nuclear sector and the restructuring of Ukrainian mining. As large a proportion of that funding as is necessary must now be earmarked for settling the wage debts in those industries. The workers' wages must have first call on the finances available. Natural justice - and international safety - demands this."
Their union, the ATU, confirmed this in a message received today by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). The ATU is an ICEM affiliate.
The nuclear workers are now owed more than 15 million US dollars' worth of back pay. They have repeatedly warned that serious underfunding of the sector poses a threat to nuclear safety.
The strike decision was taken after an arbitration board ruled that the nuclear power utility Energoatom is in breach of its collective agreement with the workers. Subsequent attempts at conciliation failed.
The number of protesting workers in the "tent villages" around the power stations has now grown to more than 2,000. They launched a hunger strike on 6 March, and workers in various other Ukrainian sectors have demonstrated in support.
Strikes and underground sit-ins are also continuing in Ukraine's coalmines, where miners are owed pay totalling more than 700 million US dollars. The ICEM-affiliated miners' union MITU has said the strikes will continue indefinitely.
Cash-flow has slowed to a trickle in most parts of the Ukrainian economy. In consequence, most bills go unpaid - or are part-settled with bartered produce. This also applies to the energy bills run up by industrial and other consumers.
After repeated appeals from the nuclear workers' leaders, a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Valery Pustovoitenko finally took place on 5 March. He was informed about the escalation of the union action, and was told that the campaign had gained international support through the ICEM.
It was agreed to set up a special commission, which was due to begin work today. The commission will examine the non-payment of electricity, heating, coal and gas bills and has the authority to cut off supplies to major defaulters.
Further talks are scheduled for tomorrow.
The Ukrainian miners and nuclear workers can count on full international union support, ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe repeated today.
"The situation in Ukraine gives cause for real concern by the world community as a whole," Thorpe said. "The world must insist that these wage debts be paid off without further delay. Major international funding has been pledged for the modernisation of the Ukrainian nuclear sector and the restructuring of Ukrainian mining. As large a proportion of that funding as is necessary must now be earmarked for settling the wage debts in those industries. The workers' wages must have first call on the finances available. Natural justice - and international safety - demands this."