site.btaMiners at Manganese Mine Go on Hunger Strike Once Again

122 ECONOMY - MANGANESE MINE - STRIKE

Miners at Manganese Mine
Go on Hunger Strike
Once Again


Dobrich, Northeast Bulgaria, June 1 (BTA) - Miners at the Obrochishte manganese mine in northeastern Bulgaria declared a hunger strike once again due to unpaid wages and food vouchers for the month of April, the mine's trade union leader Ivaylo Todorov said. Thirty miners are staying underground. According to him, nothing has been honoured from the agreement, reached between the trade union and the mine's owner in March, when the first protests started. National Ombudsman Maya Manolova was actively involved in resolving the dispute between the miners and their employer.

A 25-year concession agreement was signed back in 1999 for the mine with Euromangan AD. The manganese deposits, near the village of Obrochishte, is considered by experts to be the fourth largest in the world.

The company's managers said that wages will be paid, but with an eight day delay. A total of 46,000 tonnes of manganese have been exported, and the payment is expected three weeks after the cargo ship sails. The company said that the agreement on wages reached with the trade union is being honoured, the increased length of service and extra pay for night work is valid, while food vouchers will be distributed at the beginning of next week. LI/MY

/МЙ/