2 April, 2014The trade union of metalworkers «ZHAKTAU» is going to sue the board of directors of the company ArcelorMittal Temirtau for their refusal to pay the contract based 13th monthly salary for 2013.
“The company ArcelorMittal everywhere positions itself as socially oriented , however the reality is totally different - nowadays the owners are increasingly trying to economize on workers’ backs. The trade union and the workers are close to losing their patience, but the hope to receive the well earned money only gets stronger”, says the union appeal to the workers of ArcelorMittal Temirtau.
It is emphasized that recently the question of payment of the 13th salary has become one of the most important for workers. «As long as the desire of the people to receive their well-earned money is growing, the more persistent is the employer in his denial», notes the trade union committee. The trade union leaders say the recent negotiations did not bring any result.
The representatives of the management were not even ashamed of resorting to an open blackmail. At the beginning of the year they suggested to the trade union to make a choice between the thirteenth salary or layoff of 2.5 thousand people! When these threats did not work, they simply reverted to delaying tactics.
The board of directors insists that the company has no financial possibilities to pay the 13th salary. The management of the company say that employees did not earn this money. The trade union of metalworkers «ZHAKTAU» offered three solutions to the problem, but the company did not accept any of them.
The JSC ArcelorMittal Temirtau is a part of the multinational company ArcelorMittal and is the largest enterprise in the mining and metallurgical sector in Kazakhstan. It consists of the iron and steel works in Temirtau, eight coalmines in the Karaganda region, and four mines extracting iron ore in Karaganda, Akmolin and Kostanay areas.
Recently the Trade Union of Mining & Metallurgy Workers of Republic of Kazakhstan and the trade union of miners of Korgau signed the Agreement on consolidation of efforts. The large trade union of miners , which affiliates more than 17 thousand members and has a 13-year history of independent activities, declared about their free will to join the sector trade union. This consolidation will give the chance to negotiate with the employer and to solve problems of workers at a higher level of mining industry.