Serhiy Tulub, Ministry of Coal Industry, said miners' June wages will be paid within the week.
Mykhailo Volynets, head of the Independent Ukrainian Miners' Union, asked by The Day to comment on this Interfax Ukraine information, said back wages have been growing by Hr 50 million a month since the start of the year. May was the only exception, when the wage bill was smaller than usual by Hr 40 million, due to the strike, and when wage arrears dropped to Hr 17 million. Money has presently started being supplied, but in amounts insufficient to cover even current wages. Coal delivery returns constitute a mere 3%.
"I can't think of a single instance of the government being as good as its word," says Mr. Volynets. After the May-June strike Parliament resolved to give the industry an extra billion hryvnias. At present, in Mr. Volynets' words, the Cabinet refuses to comply with the Parliament's decision, saying there are no specific figures in the budget resolution.
Less than two weeks ago, IUMU resolved to commence preparations for an autumn strike (the final say in the matter will be announced later). According to Mr. Volynets, miners will picket "transportation routes, except those used for passengers." Another resolution says the miners' union will join in the vote of no confidence for the President suggested by certain work collectives if the miners' demands are not granted.
The so-called official miners' union shows no better attitude to the Minister's promises. Mykhailo Malanin, head of its economics-and-law department, told The Day that the government promised to square all accounts for June before July 20 and August 1, but did not keep its word, as usual. This union, according to Mr. Malanin, does not rule out the possibility of new actions of protest, and yet "the difference between us and IUMU is that we are not brandishing weapons."
INCIDENTALLY
80 miners refused to be lifted from a pit at the Inhulets Mine, Kirovohrad oblast, demanding payment of back wages, reports Interfax Ukraine. Extracting uranium, they had received pay envelopes only twice this year.
Photo by Valery Miloserdov,The Day:
And what if the miners united with millions of pensioners?







