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Newly formed Kyrgyz union concludes first agreement with Turkish investor

16 August, 2017Following intensive collective bargaining at the Turkish-Kyrgyz mining company Eti Bakir Tereksay, the primary union organization of the Mining and Metallurgy Trade Union of Kyrgyzstan (MMTUK), an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union, concluded their first collective agreement.

MMTUK primary organization was created at Eti Bakir Tereksay in September 2016. On 27 July, the union chair, Usubaly Omurbekov, signed the collective agreement for 2017-2018 with the general director of the enterprise. 

President of MMTUK Eldar Tadjibayev commented on the agreement reached:

“The administration was not ready to make concessions, they had to solve different production troubles including licenses, construction and preparatory activities. However, the union with the support of the Central Committee has managed to persuade company management to start negotiations and conclude a collective agreement”.

The social package for employees includes among others the following:

  • Increased wage for work at the highlands;
  • Compensation for harmful working conditions;
  • Payments on special occasions, such as anniversaries and retirement, the amount of 10,000 KGS (US $145), and 5,000 KGS (US $72) on marriage.

The union will also receive the amount of 50,000 KGS (US $720) from the company in monthly financial assistance for worker’s recreation and cultural activities.

In addition, according to the collective agreement, dismissals can be done only with approval of the union. 

In 2015 Eti Bakir Tereksay won a contract by tendering on the development of gold and antimony deposits of Terekkan, Perevalnoe and Terek in Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan. 25 per cent of the company is owned by the gold exploration service company Kyrgyzaltyn, and 75 per cent by the Turkish mining company Eti Bakir A.Ş. The latter is a subsidiary of large Turkish holding company Cengiz Holding A.Ş.

According to the terms of the bid, after obtaining the license, the investor should develop the project of exploration and deposit development within one year. Within two years, Eti Bakir Tereksay has to build a gold processing plant.