Tkibuli Miners Suspend Protests after Gov't Promises Salaries

Miners from Georgia’s western town of Tkibuli have decided to suspend the protests launched on November 2, after the government promised they will receive their salaries as usual, despite the fact that the mines are closed for inspection.

The decision to close the Tkibuli mines was made in July by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, after a July 16 incident in Mindeli mine left four miners dead and six severely injured.

Bakhtadze said the government would no longer put its citizens’ lives at risk and declared the mine would be closed until it became completely safe to resume works there.

"The mine shaft will not resume work until the criminal investigation and technical expertise is complete,” the PM stated this summer.

The miners launched protests after Georgian Industrial Group (GIG), the owner of the mines, declared they could not pay the workers’ salaries if the mines do not operate.

Representative of the Trade Union, Tamaz Dolaberidze, stated that after the closure of the mines, the workers received their salaries for August, September and October. However, according to him, the employer company told the workers they would not get further salaries as the mines are closed.

The information was also confirmed by Jambul Jakeli, Director of Saknakhshiri, which is a subsidiary company of the GIG carrying out mining works in Tkibuli.

Jakeli said that in the three months since the mines were closed, the company spent around GEL 2 million ($733,918) on the salaries of its employees, adding Saknakhshiri cannot afford to continue paying salaries if operation is not resumed.

"We had hoped to resume coal extraction. We held negotiations with banks hoping they would give us some money. However, the work has not been renewed and the company can no longer pay salaries. In order not to lie to people, the director of GIG told me to warn the employees,” the Saknakhshiri Director told Netgazeti.

Economy Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kobulia stated the miners will continue receiving salaries despite the fact that the mines are closed.

He said the inspection of the mines will be finished by December, after which the employees can resume working in the places which are safe.

"Technical assessment is currently underway in the mines. This inspection will end in December. In areas where we have a guaranteed conclusion on safety, we will renew working. Until the work starts, we agreed with the miners to pay them their salaries,” the Minister said.

In total, around 1300 people are employed in Tkibuli mine.

By Thea Morrison

Image source: Netgazeti