07.11.2017
IndustriALL Global Union has launched a solidarity campaign with the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG) and its primary organization at Rustavi Azot fertilizer plant in Georgia.
On 2 November, IndustriALL in partnership with the TUMMCIWG started an online-campaign at LabourStart. Please sign the petition to express your opposition to the blatant attempts at union busting at the company:
- illegal dismissal of almost 350 employers of Rustavi Azot;
- actions by management aimed at paralyzing activities of the trade union;
- replacement of indefinite labour contracts with short-term contracts;
- unilateral cancelation of a collective agreement concluded with the trade union in September 2013;
- creation of a discriminatory work environment in the company and the use of threats, reprisals and dismissals against trade union members.
IndustriALL affiliates from Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Russia have sent a letter of protest to the management of Rustavi Azot. They noted that previously the company was one of the best examples of social partnership in Georgia, and that a collective agreement concluded with a previous owner complied with international standards as well as with norms reflected in the European Social Charter. The situation changed dramatically in 2017.
The TUMMCIWG was also encouraged to receive photos of trade union activists from the CIS region holding a solidarity sign pledging to #DefendGeorgianUnions. You can join the campaign now and send a photo holding the attached sign by e-mail to [email protected].
TUMMCIWG chair, Tamaz Dolaberidze, stated:
“Dear brothers and sisters! Thank you very much for every photo, for every letter and for every minute you have spent on us. Your support inspires us to keep fighting. If we lose this particular battle, we are sure that we have created the basis for victory in future. We appreciate the activities of IndustriALL that perfectly manages to coordinate all of us to carry out a global battle”.