02 April 2009, 21:30
Rostov Region: miners stop their strike
In the evening on April 1, eight miners from the "Chikh Mine", located in the Rostov Region, stopped their strike and went out to the surface. They spent two days underground demanding to pay salary debts to them; and the money was paid out.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 31, in the city of Shakhty, Rostov Region, a team of ten miners from the Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC) "Chikh Mine" refused to get to the surface after their shift demanding repayment of salary debts to them. Two miners later went up to negotiate with the mine administration.
Igor Zyuzin, first deputy head of the Oktiabrskiy District, Rostov Region, said today that a joint meeting of miners, administration and mine managers decided to settle the conflict, by paying out all the debts to the strikers.
Other workers of the mine were promised to be paid today a part of their debts for January, and to do away with all December-January debts before April 15. Then, they hope to start the mine and completely pay out all the due money till May 1, as the ITAR-TASS reports.
Gennady Kapaev, trade union leader at the "Chikh Mine" and a member of the conciliatory commission, has confirmed that the parties managed to find a temporary compromise, as the "Club of Regions" reports. The agreements are viewed by the trade union committee of the enterprises as a victory of the miners themselves and Governor Vladimir Chub.
In total, the "Chikh Mine" employs over 800 persons. The three-month salary debt to them makes over 15 million roubles. In early February, the managers of the CJSC "Mine Named after Mikhail Chikh" addressed the arbitration court of the Rostov Region requesting to recognize the mine bankrupt. On March 31, the reasons of the application were considered by the arbitration court. The judicial session was suspended till April 3.
The administration of the Rostov Region neither confirmed nor denied the bankruptcy information. The miners, meanwhile, hope to receive their unpaid salaries even in case of bankruptcy.