23 September, 2011Workers of the Zaporozhye Ferroalloy Plant in Eastern Ukraine picketed in front of the government office in Kiev protesting against job cuts at the plant. Their union works closely with local and national authorities to find a solution to the acute jobs crisis.
UKRAINE: On September 14 roughly 80 workers of the Zaporozhye Ferroalloy Plant held a picket in front of the Ukrainian government office in Kiev protesting against massive job cuts at the plant. Their union, Metallurgical and Mining Industry Workers' Union of Ukraine (MMIWU), an IMF affiliate, works closely with local and national authorities to find a solution to the acute jobs crisis.
The layoffs began on August 23. They were triggered by falling production rate due to the hike in electricity prices. 600 workers have lost their jobs to date. The initial plan was to cut 1000 jobs.
In May 2011 the MMIWU wrote a letter to the president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich and the prime-minister Nikolay Azarov, demanding immediate action to restore the capacity of the Zaporozhye mining and metallurgy industry. A number of plants cut production due to high electricity prices, hundreds of workers have lost their jobs.
"Since May, the union took all possible steps to bring on a solution, ranging from public action, in which 5,000 metalworkers from different Ukrainian regions took part, to issuing calls to all relevant authorities, including the president of Ukraine," said the MMIWU president Vladimir Kazachenko.
"The gravest crisis is still at the Zaporozhye Ferroalloy Plant. This is the second time its workers picket government offices. The first action of such kind was carried out in June," added Kazachenko.
At the meeting between union leaders and the head of the regional administration Boris Petrov on September 16 it was decided that the working group would be established with representatives from the union, local authorities, relevant government agencies, the Cabinet of Ukraine and the Ukrainian parliament. The group will meet in early October.
According to the latest reports, the administration of the Zaporozhye Ferroalloy Plant may re-launch a number of furnaces and reinstate 600 workers. The IMF will watch the situation via our affiliate, the MMIWU.