19 September, 2011The ITUC sent a letter to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili protesting rights violations on the part of the Georgian-Indian company Hercules Steel as well as the Georgian authorities. Earlier the workers of the metal plant were forced to go on strike. In response the administration, aided by the government, launched a campaign of repression.
GEORGIA: The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) sent a letter of protest to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili concerning the situation at Hercules Steel in Kutaisi, Georgia.
On August 4, 2011 147 workers at Hercules Steel founded a union and elected its officials. The workers protested over poor wages and working conditions at the plant. It is reported that the plant lacks the dining facility and the locker rooms, and the infirmary doesn't work during the night shift, which is the most hazardous time for the workers. The wages at the plant haven't been adjusted to the inflation for three consecutive years.
The management refused to recognize the union and fired six elected officials on August 11. On September 2 the workers held a warning strike, demanding the reinstatement of dismissed union leaders and to begin collective bargaining with the union.
The administration responded by firing more union activists. On September 13 the union launched a full-scale strike with the participation of about 90% of the workforce, with several workers also going on hunger strike.
On September 15 the police raided the strikers and detained several of them. The striking workers were released after several hours, however the managers went to workers' homes to threaten them, and police made several more workers sign statements that they would go back to work.
'The situation at Hercules Steel represents an egregious violation of trade union rights both by management and the government,' states Sharan Burrow in a letter of protest.
'A role for the government in this situation should have been to attempt to mediate the dispute. Unfortunately, local government not only condoned this illegal activity but actually furthered its objectives through the use of overwhelming police power. This is an outrage', adds Burrow.
ITUC urges the Georgian government to stop rights violations at Hercules Steel and to recommit itself to uphold international standards.
'The international community is closely monitoring this situation and
the situation of workers generally in Georgia. In the absence of evidence of substantial and immediate change, we will have no choice but to continue and intensify our international campaign to bring about labour reforms in Georgia,' concludes Burrow.
The full text of the ITUC letter of protest to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili is available on the IMF website.
On August 4, 2011 147 workers at Hercules Steel founded a union and elected its officials. The workers protested over poor wages and working conditions at the plant. It is reported that the plant lacks the dining facility and the locker rooms, and the infirmary doesn't work during the night shift, which is the most hazardous time for the workers. The wages at the plant haven't been adjusted to the inflation for three consecutive years.
The management refused to recognize the union and fired six elected officials on August 11. On September 2 the workers held a warning strike, demanding the reinstatement of dismissed union leaders and to begin collective bargaining with the union.
The administration responded by firing more union activists. On September 13 the union launched a full-scale strike with the participation of about 90% of the workforce, with several workers also going on hunger strike.
On September 15 the police raided the strikers and detained several of them. The striking workers were released after several hours, however the managers went to workers' homes to threaten them, and police made several more workers sign statements that they would go back to work.
'The situation at Hercules Steel represents an egregious violation of trade union rights both by management and the government,' states Sharan Burrow in a letter of protest.
'A role for the government in this situation should have been to attempt to mediate the dispute. Unfortunately, local government not only condoned this illegal activity but actually furthered its objectives through the use of overwhelming police power. This is an outrage', adds Burrow.
ITUC urges the Georgian government to stop rights violations at Hercules Steel and to recommit itself to uphold international standards.
'The international community is closely monitoring this situation and
the situation of workers generally in Georgia. In the absence of evidence of substantial and immediate change, we will have no choice but to continue and intensify our international campaign to bring about labour reforms in Georgia,' concludes Burrow.
The full text of the ITUC letter of protest to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili is available on the IMF website.