Ukraine miners strike in Kryvyi Rih, win pay hikes

Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine

After leading a May Day march through the city of Kryvyi Rih in eastern Ukraine, hundreds of miners from three large operations there took part in strikes and underground sit-ins demanding a wage increase of 50 percent. The actions, led by the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU), started at the Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Combine (KZRK), followed by sit-ins at Evraz Sukha Balka (ESB) and ArcelorMittal mines. A joint strike committee was set up, chaired by Yuri Samoilov, city organizer of the NPGU.

KZRK bosses offered an immediate 20 percent raise, follow by 30 percent in August, but threatened to close one of the mines to pay for it.

When more than 1,000 miners marched to the ArcelorMittal administration building May 11 for negotiations, company representatives fled. The workers occupied four floors, demanding talks begin.

Evraz Sukha Balka — owned by Russian multibillionaire Roman Abramovych — refused to negotiate. Workers from the mine and other ESB steel operations blocked access roads and stopped shipments to the plant May 10 while miners sat in underground. Young workers led the actions. Bosses agreed to a 20 percent raise beginning May 19, signed by both the NPGU and the former state-run Metallurgical and Mining Industry Workers Union of Ukraine.

— PATRICIA MARSHALL