Int'l Experts to Study Labor Safety Conditions in Tkibuli Mine
International experts will study labor safety conditions in Tkibuli mine, which in early April claimed lives of 6 miners and left three injured.
The decision was made after April 19 trilateral meeting between the Trade Unions, Ministry of Labor, Heal and Social Affairs and Georgian Industrial Group, the employer company.
Representative of the Trade Unions, Vitaly Giorgadze says the main request of the miners is that the mine needs to be checked and examined by international experts.
“We also demanded from the state and employer that the miners must be paid while the mine is closed for examination and they agreed,” he added.
Georgian Industrial Group Director General Zurab Gelenidze stated the international experts will also give recommendation how the working conditions in the mine can be improved.
“After the examination, the experts will make a list of necessary future activities, that need to be carried out and the Georgian Industrial will decide if we want to continue working in such a format,” Gelenidze said.
The Minister of Labor, Heal and Social Affairs of Georgia, Davit Sergeenko expressed hope that the international experts will be invited and involved soon.
“However, the employer company itself, and the Technical Inspection Agency of the Ministry of Labor inspection have also conducted several examinations of the mine,” he added.
Tkibuli miners voiced their demands several days ago. They had three main requests:
- To temporarily suspend the operation of the Tkibuli mines.
- Make a collective agreement between the employer and the employees, which will provide adequate employment and social guarantees for the miners.
- Immediately dismiss those who were responsible for safety in the mines, or lack thereof, which resulted in the recent incident.
By Thea Morrison
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Tkibuli Miners Demand Safer Working Conditions