Miners Protest Near Trade Union Office
There was a tense confrontation between miners and representatives of the “Georgian Trade Unions Confederation”. The miners were holding a protest outside their office.
The miners became upset after hearing a statement from the trade union. They claimed that the confederation had been ignoring them for 27 days. A miner said, “We know about the wrong things done by the Georgian Trade Unions Confederation. Their indifference is what’s happening in Chiatura.” He also accused them of blaming the miners for causing trouble.
The miners are angry because they were called “illegally striking workers” by the trade union. They want to talk to the government and the company, but not in a way that hurts anyone. Irakli Petriashvili, the head of the Georgian Trade Unions Confederation, told his representatives to leave the area.
The miners are demanding that the government take responsibility for what’s happening in Chiatura. They also want the company “Georgian Manganese” to leave the town and for a new group to be created to represent workers’ interests in planning and running the mines.
Police have arrived at the scene to keep things calm.