Mining workers of Georgia win after 40-days strike an increase in salaries and get their demands on reinstatement of dismissed colleagues satisfied.

On 25 March around 3,000 workers of RMG Gold and RMG Copper, mining enterprises located in the town of Kazreti, district of Bolnisi in Georgia ended their indefinite strike that began on 14 February.

As a result of negotiations between the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG), an affiliate of IndustriALL, and the management it was agreed that 87 fired workers should be reinstated on 25 March, another 50 workers should be back at work within the next two months.

It is expected that new health insurance contracts will be concluded for every worker, and the TUMMCIWG and management will sign a collective agreement.

A salary increase was also agreed. The salary of the 1,000 lowest-paid workers will be increased by 15-20 per cent by March and April - at the moment these workers earn 90-170 USD per month. In autumn 2014, if the economic situation does not get worse, the same increase of 15-20 per cent will be made for every worker of the enterprises.

IndustriALL Global Union congratulates its affiliate TUMMCIWG and all workers of RMG Gold and RMG Copper on this victory and expects the management to thoroughly fulfill all commitments as agreed.