In July 2013 the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining, and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG), an IndustriALL affiliate, founded a new union local at the ferroalloy plant operated by GTM group near Zestafoni, Georgia.
45 out of 130 workers immediately joined the union. However, three key activists were fired on the same day. “The director did not even try to conceal the fact that he did not want any trade union at his plant and he would never allow doing this,” said Tamaz Dolaberidze, TUMMCIWG president.
In a couple of days the president of the union local at the plant was also fired. He was verbally abused by the general director and escorted off of the plant premises.
TUMMCIWG engaged in an intensive campaign to protect their own.
On 14 August IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina sent letters of protest to the general director of GTM group as well as the prime minister of Georgia.
GTM Group’s anti-union behavior is in clear violation of international labour standards, such as International Labour Organization’s Conventions 87 and 98, as well as Georgian trade union and labour law.
He asked the administration of the plant to withdraw from anti-union practices and the prime minister of Georgia – to investigate the situation and take appropriate measures to protect the workers and their union.