An employee of “Belaruskali” chained himself in a mine

He demanded new president elections and wage increase

15 October 2020, 11:27 | TUT.BY

Today Alexander Kurban, “Belaruskali” miner, after his night-shift, refused to rise to the surface until his demands were met. The man works as a shotfirer at the 4th mine department. That incident was not without the ambulance and executives arriving. In September two other miners refused to go up as well, one of them was Yurij Korzun, who is serving a 15-day administrative sentence now.

A shotfirer Alexander Kurban refused to leave the mine. At the mine where the incident took place, all the senior executives went down there, as it was reported to TUT.BY.

At about 9.15am the strike committee reported that Alexander Kurban had been raised to the surface. The man was taken to the psychoneurological hospital, where he was examined by doctors, and after a while he was released. Members of the strike committee came to the hospital to support the miner. Among them was Oleg Kudelka, who earlier after a night shift refused to get up to the ground until his demands were met.

“After my night-shift I chained myself to the railing, using a lock I had. I chose a safe place where the miners are waiting for the cage to be lifted up,” Alexander told TUT.BY. “I conveyed through colleagues that I was going to stay until my requirements were met. Later 5 people went down where I stayed.”

The miner intends to join the strike committee of the enterprise.

Earlier, Alexander Kurban handed over a note, where he said he would stay underground until his requirements were fulfilled. Among them – to raise wages at the enterprise according to the severity and working conditions, to provide miners with serviceable and suitable tools, to stop putting pressure on workers and the independent trade union, to cancel the decision to dismiss workers who are on the strike committee.

“I claim the General Director, who is the senator of Minsk region as well, to bring the position of our labor stuff to the top leadership of the country, namely: to call new and fair elections, to release all the political prisoners, to stop the beating of citizens,” the list of demands says.

According to Alexander, the current political situation in the country has dealt a great psychological and mental blow to the labor stuff.

“Many suffered from the actions of the law enforcement forces both mentally and physically. The leadership of the association does not in any way contribute to the strengthening of morale in the team,” said Alexander Kurban in his declaration. “On the contrary, it applies sanctions and intimidation of those who can’t put up with falsified election results and harsh suppression of peaceful protests.”

Earlier, on 10 September 2020, “Belaruskali” miner Yurij Kozun chained himself to mining equipment and joined the strike committee. On 21 September after a night shift another worker of the enterprise, Oleg Kudelka, refused to leave the mine until his requirements were complied.

On 6 October 2020 Yurij Korzun was given a 15-day administrative sentence. The miner and several other people were detained on 3 October 2020 in Soligorsk, when they gathered for a coffee break.

Let us recall on the morning of 17 August, “Belaruskali” workers went on strike, and then repeated it on 18 August. After that, the majority of the workers went to work, and some continued the strike. About 20 people are still on the strike committee.

Earlier, on 11 September the Minsk Regional Court found Belaruskali the strike illegal. Let us remind you that among the demands of the workers on the strike, as well as now the strike committee of the enterprise are the release of all political prisoners, the resignation of Alexander Lukashenko, the holding of new elections.