Contrary to the mining company's promises that the mines would reopen on 1 March, it has now been announced that underground mining of manganese will cease completely.
Manganese will only be mined by open-cast mining by subcontractor cooperatives.
We will continue to report on this.
For months, the miners of the manganese mines in Chiatura, Georgia have been without work because the mining company closed the mines and locked out the miners. As every month, the wages, which have been reduced by 40%, were paid 13 days late. ‘The miners announced public talks despite heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. Many miners are either out of town on private business or trapped in the villages around Chiatura due to the snow. Nevertheless, many people came to the talks (about 500+). The talks quickly and spontaneously developed into a protest that will most likely not end in the near future,’ a colleague reported.
Hello miners' wives, miners and families, We miners' wives in the Courage women's association have learnt of the protest by miners and their families against the non-payment of wages.Dear women miners and miners' wives, We are on your side and it is unacceptable that you have to support your families without wages or with delayed or reduced payments. We have seen pictures of you demonstrating in the bitter cold for your wages in the knowledge that your families will not have the money for housing, food, gas and electricity, food and much more. At the same time, the electricity is being cut off in this cold because the mining company is not making any payments.
On 1 November, immediately after the elections in Georgia, the manganese mines in Chiatura were closed down, while the open-cast mining of various cooperatives was not stopped. Around 3,000 miners and 2,000 metalworkers from the group ‘Georgian Managanese Ltd’ were locked out and asked to accept a 40-60% pay cut, which they rightly refused to do.
Sending the congratulation letter for today. "Today, the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of St. Barbara, in our country she is known as the patroness of children.
A little further west, she has a more practical meaning - she is the protector of miners and steelworkers.
The Ukrainian government is aiming for the critical raw material titanium to be of strategic importance to the EU in the future. In October 2024, the Ukrainian state sold the mining and chemical group United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC) to a foreign investor. UMCC is one of the most important suppliers of titanium raw materials in the world.
Dear friends and families, As the main coordinator and on behalf of the International Miners' Coordination, I express our solidarity and full support for your determined fight for your jobs.
It is outrageous how the mining company and its servile government are treating you.
Miners and the environmental movement together – worldwide! Let's save the foundations of human life'
With the rightward development and fascistisation of the governments of many countries, the attacks on the masses are intensifying with restrictions of bourgeois democratic rights and the shifting of the burdens of the crisis. There is also an intensified attack on nature and the foundations of human life, as for example in Germany, where many environmental and occupational safety requirements are to be abolished.
Following the election victory of the reactionary Georgian government at the end of Oktober, the manganese monopoly has locked out 3,000 miners and 2,000 metalworkers in manganese processing. In addition, the workers are to forgo 40% of their wages and benefits. In addition
The miners and metalworkers are not prepared to do this. Our unwavering solidarity belongs to them! We have received the following appeal from your initiative group of Chiatura miners as an open letter:
To the Philippine government, trade union KMU, Defend Jobs (DJP)
We, the International Coordinating Group of the International Miners Coordination, protest in the strongest terms against the repression and measures taken by the government against trade unionists. The two trade unionists Ed Cubelo and Rodrigo Esparago are accused of violating the anti-terrorism law. Trade union activity is not terrorism!