Leadership of Kapan Mining and Processing Plant(MPP) calls on  striking employees not to drive situation to standstill

ArmInfo. The management of the Kapan Mining and Processing Plant (MPP) today issued a statement on the requirements of a number of workers to increase pay, urging them not to drive the situation to a standstill in order to find mutually  acceptable solutions based on civilized negotiations.

As Kapan MPP JSC informed ArmInfo, from 15:00, on May 25, a number of  mine workers left their jobs and started a rally near the company's  administrative building. The protesters were further joined by some  employees of the next shift and other units, as well as persons who  are not in labor relations with the company. The protesters demanded  to reconsider the terms of payment.

According to the enterprise, the above-mentioned actions aimed at  sabotaging the enterprise's activities were not implemented in the  order established by the Labor Code for the organization of strikes.  They cannot be considered the implementation of the rights of workers  established by RA legislation to organize and participate in strikes.

Nevertheless, yesterday on May 28, six employees of the enterprise,  without personal protective equipment, violating the company's  internal regulations, entered the mine and went on a hunger strike  with the same demand for reviewing the terms of payment. "Taking into  account the fact that these employees, violating the rules of  technical safety, created a real danger for their life and health,  the company sent a corresponding message to the RA Police," the  report of the Kapan mine reads. It is noted that "as a result of  these actions the plant's work was stopped, which led not only to  damage to the enterprise, but also to the fact that employees who did  not share the demands of protesters were deprived of the opportunity  to continue working and receive a decent reward for their work. Every  day the plant's downtime inevitably affects the final figures, which  are used to calculate the taxes paid to the state budget. The  enterprise believes that the plant's stop will have a negative impact  on the economy of the city of Kapan and contradicts the interests of  not only the work collective, but also all residents. "

The company believes that in order to avoid a dead end situation, it  is ready to negotiate with representatives of the work collective and  to discuss realistic opportunities for reviewing the terms of  employment relations. The enterprise called on organizers and  participants of illegal actions not to drive the situation to a  deadlock and to find mutually acceptable solutions to meet the  proposal for a civilized negotiation.

At the same time, the company was informed that due to massive  violations of labor contracts and the Collective Agreement, as well  as illegal actions with elements of sabotage, the enterprise suffered  significant damage. In accordance with the RA legislation, in case of  refusal of negotiations and continuation of the nomination of demands  in the form of ultimatums, the Kapan MPP(Mining and Processing Plant)  in the order established in the RA Labor Code will be forced to  terminate labor relations with these persons, and in addition to  this, will consider the suit in the subject of compensation for the  damage caused.

The enterprise also expresses concern about the threat to the  physical safety of its employees and calls on the Armenian government  and law enforcement agencies to stand up for the interests of the  state and foreign investors fulfilling their financial obligations to  the RA and ensuring the implementation of social programs on the  ground.