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23 March, 2009
The ICEM supports the actions of its Ukrainian affiliate, the Coal Mining Industry Workers’ Union of Ukraine (PRUPU), as it announced a series of mass rallies throughout the country, protesting the situation facing miners in an industry in crisis.
The decision to commence with mass protest actions on 25 March was taken by the union’s Shop Stewards at the 3rd Plenary Meeting of PRUPU’s Central Committee, held on 27 February. Delegates resolved to launch the mass protest actions, starting this Wednesday, including the picketing of the seats of the state authorities in Kiev and other major coal-mining towns in the eastern Donbass region.
PRUPU President Victor Turmanov
Ukrainian miners face ongoing violations of their right to timely remuneration, significant wage arrears, and a reduction of 4.6 times of the budgetary allocations for the industry in 2009 over that of 2008.
The Ukrainian Federation of Trade Unions, in a statement released 11 March, accused the country’s leadership of “ignoring the interests of the people to please international financial magnates.”
In exchange for a US$2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, the Ukrainian government agreed to restrictive conditions for the loan. Notable promises were the cancelling of social utility discounts for poor families, raising the retirement age by five years, and a six-fold increase in gas prices for Ukrainians.