The budgetary funding of coal mining industry was the main issue of the meeting held at the Cabinet of Ministers on 12 January 2015.

Mr. Vyacheslav Kirilenko, the Vice-Prime-Minister, Mr. Vladimir Denchishynm, the Minister of Power and Coal-mining industry and his first deputy Mr. Yuriy Zukov, as well as Mr. Victor Turmanov, the Chairman of Unions of coal-mining industry of Ukraine, Mr. Michael Volynets, the Chairman of Independent Unions of mine-workers of Ukraine and Mr. Nicklai Volynko, the Chairman of Independent Unions of mine-workers of Donbas participated in that meeting.    

Mr. Victor Turmanov, speaking at the meeting, emphasized that exclusion of the state support for coal mining companies from the budget with the partial covering of expenses of the finished commercial coal products at cost price which in the past used to be the source of regular payment of wage to mine-workers, had produced a disturbance wave among the miner’s staff.

Taking into consideration a complexity of situation and the need of power independence assurance, Mr. Victor Turmanov provided the UkrCoalUnions’ proposals for stabilization of the state of affairs at coal-mining industry of Ukraine.      
 
Mr. Victor Turmanov, the Chairman of Unions of coal-mining industry of Ukraine, proposed to hold All-Ukraine meeting in the nearest future with the participation of employees of the mining industry under the leadership of Mr. Arseniy Yatsenuk, the Prime-Minister of Ukraine and consider the current situation in the coal-mining sector and make required arrangements.  

It was proposed to make changes in the State budget for 2015 making provisions for coal enterprises state support expenses at cost price in volumes permitting to ensure stable work of coal mines and wage payment.   

Also, Mr. Victor Turmanov initiated a resumption of work for the Coordinating Council on issues associated with the resolution of crisis situations in the coal-mining industry under the leadership of the Vice-Prime-Minister of Ukraine who is responsible for the operation of fuel-and-energy complex. 
 
In conclusion of the meeting Mr. Vyacheslav Kirilenko assured all participants that within the next few days he would inform the Prime-Minister personally about the meeting and its results.      
 
Mr. Victor Turmanov, the Chairman of Unions of coal-mining industry of Ukraine submitted the Appeal to the Prime-Minister with Unions of coal-mining industry of Ukraine proposals on the coal-mining sector problem-solving.

Below is the attached letter:

Unions of coal-mining industry of Ukraine, Central Committee

            No.01/01 of 12 January 2015

To: Mr. Arseniy Yatsenuk, the Prime-Minister of Ukraine

On behalf of all mine-workers of Ukraine I, as the Chairman of Unions of coal-mining industry of Ukraine, apply to you on the occasion of urgent measures application and required government decision-making regarding situation in coal-mining sector stabilization.

Currently the state of affairs at miners’ staff is extremely complicated and practically critical. The entire deletion of costs items under the Program “The State support of coal-mining enterprises to the partial covering of expenses of the finished commercial coal products at cost price”, which used to be one of the main source of wage payments at the state owned mines, produced a disturbance wave of mine-worker of Ukraine and resulted in uncontrolled protest actions in a number of coal regions of the country. Driven to despair due to the poverty of miners’ families the employees of coal-mining industry are capable of further radical actions. Processes uncontrollability on the Ministry of Energy and Coal-mining Industry of Ukraine’s part can result in nonreversible effects in our state. Provisions of the Collective agreement are practically disregarded regarding the social security of employees of coal-mining industry under its reformation circumstances.

Taking into account an entire difficult situation in the country and the need to ensure its power independence the Unions Central committee considers necessary to offer the Government of Ukraine to fulfill the following measures as soon as possible:

1. Hold All-Ukraine meeting in the nearest future with the participation of employees representatives of the mining industry and with your, Arseniy Petrovich, participation to consider the current situation in the coal-mining sector and make required arrangements for its stabilization.
2. Make changes and amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2015” and to the Budget program items of expense “The State support of coal-mining enterprises to the partial covering of expenses of the finished commercial coal products at cost price” in volumes which are supposed to ensure stable work of coal-mining enterprises and wage payments.
3. Resume work of the Coordinating Council on issues associated with the resolution of crisis situations in the coal-mining industry under the leadership of the Vice-Prime-Minister of Ukraine who is responsible for the operation of fuel-and-energy complex.

We assume that implementation of the above proposals will allow reducing social tension and stabilize the situation at miner’s staff.

Sincerely,

V. Turmanov     Signed

Unions President