As we informed before, on 02 March 2015 a mass protest action of representatives of employees of enterprises from all parts of mining regions of Ukraine was held in Kiev. Trade union activists, mine-workers of many companies from Donbas, Western Donbas and L’vov-Volyn coal fields came to the wall of Verkhovna Rada and Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The plenary meeting of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was postponed from 10:00 to 16:00 hrs, the social protest action of employees of mining industry moved to the cabinet of ministers, and after that they planned to come back to Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The participants of the protest action demanded the resignation of Vladimir Demchyshyn, Minister of Power and Mining Industry of Ukraine, back payment of wage debts, sufficient funding of mining industry and miner’s labor, social guarantees for people who used to be “Labor Guard”.

Protesters were carrying flags with the Mining Unions symbols, “Chernobyl Union Of Ukraine” and many other organization along with slogans «Don’t prevent from working!», «Shovel – to the Minister”, “Mine-workers – salary!», «People’s deputies – to the pit, Mine-workers – 10% tax» and others. 

Speakers at the meeting said that Inter-Departmental Commission under the chairmanship of Vladimir Demchyshyn, Minister of Power and Mining Industry of Ukraine, had been established after the first protest action held on 28-29 January authorized by the Prime-Minister of Ukraine to solve all mining problems. The Commission should have developed the ways of crisis overcoming at mining industry. However not a step to save mining industry of Ukraine has been done. Moreover, the Government in violation of provisions of coalition agreement 2014 which made provision for phased reduction of the state support and reformation of mining companies is continuing sticking one line to the actual elimination of this economic sector. 

Employees of the mining industry are indignant at the coal procurement abroad in Russia against which we are at war. Mine-workers used to strike the road by their hardhats near the Parliament and called the Power to increase financial support for the industry and use domestic facilities to provide Ukraine with energy resources.

What do employees of enterprises demand?

The following demands are clear, understandable and reasonable:

1.Return the Law of Ukraine “On making changes in the Law of Ukraine “On State Budget for 2015” as requiring improvement with the purpose to include charges for the following: 

• state support for mining companies, for partial reimbursement of costs on the cost price of final products – 1,340,400.00 UAH; 

• state support for construction of coal mining and peat extraction companies, their upgrading - 355,000,000.00 UAH; 

• mine rescue measures – 434,000,000.00 UAH; 

• Labor protection at mining enterprises – 65,000,000.00 UAH; 

• transfer of social infrastructure facilities to the municipal property which are in custody of mining companies – 159,100,000.00 UAH.

2.Make changes in other legislative acts with the purpose of readjustment of social guarantees for employees and pensioners of mining industry which were in force as of 01.12.2014 as well as raise the moratorium for social standards and ensure salary indexation to the rate of inflation.

3.Not admit further reduction of social guarantees for pensioners, limitation of their rights to receive their pensions in full and introduction of new taxes.

4.Ensure timely payments at the power market and debts for consumed energy and coal recovery for mining companies of all forms of property.

5.Assure the performance of acting legislation requirements, General and Mining Agreements on labor and social guarantees, which are the subject of the current Collective Labor dispute.