14:23 07.05.2018

Wage arrears at state mines exceed UAH 740 mln - Volynets

2 min read

KYIV. May 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine Mykhailo Volynets has said that total wage arrears at state-owned mines exceed UAH 740 million.

"The monthly salary fund at state-owned enterprises, at coalmines, is UAH 530 million. The number of workers employed at state-owned mines is 41,000 people. Total wage arrears amount to UAH 740 million," he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency in Kyiv on Monday.

According to him, the debts for 2015, 2016 and 2017 are UAH 274.975 million, as well as UAH 470 million worth of debt for April this year.

In addition, Volynets said that there was also injustice in the payment of salaries. In particular, wages are not paid at mines where the staff expresses its dissatisfaction with the work of management and the presence of corruption schemes in the industry.

"They are punished, because they criticize 'watchers' and prevent the mine from being closed," he said, citing the example of the situation at Novovolynska mine No. 9 run by Volynvuhillia state enterprise.

Volynets stressed that such a situation with the financing of the industry, in particular, with the payment of wages, provokes the outflow of personnel abroad.

Earlier on this day, miners at Novovolynska mine No. 9 stopped working in protest against non-payment of wages. On Monday, May 7, a meeting should be held with Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk to resolve the conflict between miners and management of the enterprise.

On May 4, 2018, Nasalyk also met with miners of Novovolynska mine No. 9.

In 2017, miners at Novovolynska mine No. 9 several times went on strike and protested over non-payment of salaries. This year, the work of the mine was halted due to shortage of equipment.

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