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ArcelorMittal workers in Kazakhstan take to the streets

22 May, 2012During tripartite negotiations the management of ArcelorMittal Temirtau (Kazakhstan) refused to implement a 30 per cent wage rise. On May 19 the workers took to the streets in an action which gathered over 3,000 people.

KAZAKHSTAN: Industrial dispute at ArcelorMittal Temirtau continues. The management still refuses to meet the union's demands and raise wages by 30 per cent. On May 19 ArcelorMittal workers took to the streets in an action which gathered 3,000 people.

On May 17-18, two rounds of tripartite negotiations took place. The management rejected the unions' demands and made an alternative offer. Instead of implementing a 30 per cent wage rise, the company suggested to raise wages by 7.4 per cent (official inflation figure for 2011) and introduce a 2.6 per cent premium, which will only be paid if certain production goals are met. The employer also offered to resume negotiations on September 1, 2012.

The unions didn't agree to this offer and held a sanctioned rally in Temirtau (Kazakhstan) in support of their demands. According to the management, in the first half of 2011 wages have averaged 115,600 tenge (US$780) in the steel department and 128,700 tenge (US$870) in the coal department.

Towards the end of the rally ArcelorMittal workers adopted a resolution and letters to the president's administration, parliament, government, Nur Otan (ruling party), ArcelorMittal Temirtau management, regional and city authorities.