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.