RUSSIA: A MAJOR COAL-MINERS STRIKE DUE TO START IN RUSSIA FOR BACK DATED PAY, BETTER CONDITIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION

Record ID: 342144

  • Title: RUSSIA: A MAJOR COAL-MINERS STRIKE DUE TO START IN RUSSIA FOR BACK DATED PAY, BETTER CONDITIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION
  • Date: 2nd December 1996
  • Summary: ROSTOV-ON-DON AND MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 2, 1996 / RECENT) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) NEAR ROSTOV-ON-DON, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 5, 1996) 1. LV OF MINE SHAFTS / PILES OF COAL (3 SHOTS) 0.16 2. SLV OLD WOMAN ON ROAD BRINGING FOOD IN A TROLLEY 0.27 3. SLV WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH SHOPPING BAGS 0.32 4. SV EXTERIOR OF MINERS' STORE 0.37 5. CU SIGN READING 'MINERS' STORE' (RUSSIAN) 0.42 6. LV/SV INTERIOR OF STORE/EMPTY SHELVES/CASHIER (2 SHOTS) 0.53 7. CU BABY FOOD ON DISPLAY 0.57 8. LV BLOCK OF FLATS 1.02 9. SLV MINER YURI POPOV ENTERING HIS BLOCK OF FLATS 1.18 10. SV/CU OF POPOV'S KITCHEN (2 SHOTS) 1.29 11. SV/CU YURI POPOV OPENING REFRIGERATOR, SAYING THAT THIS IS THE ONLY FOOD LEFT IN HIS HOUSE (RUSSIAN)/ VIEW OF HALF-EMPTY SHELVES INSIDE REFRIGERATOR (2 SHOTS) 1.40 12. SV POPOV SAYING THAT LAST MEAL HIS WIFE PREPARED WAS A SMALL PORTION OF DRIED POTATOES COOKED ON THE OLD COOKING OIL, BORROWED FROM RELATIVES (RUSSIAN) 1.54 13. CU JARS 1.59 14. SLV BLOCK OF FLATS 2.04 ROSTOV-ON-DON, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 5, 1996) 15. LV OF MINERS' DEMO IN CENTRAL ROSTOV-ON-DON 2.11 16. MCU OLD WOMAN EMOTIONALLY ADDRESSING DEMONSTRATION, WAVING HANDS 2.18 17. SV/CU FACES IN CROWD (2 SHOTS) 2.27 18. SV MINERS MARCHING DOWN ROAD WITH BANNERS 2.38 MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 2, 1996) 19. SV/CU EXTERIOR MINERS' UNION BUILDING (3 SHOTS) 2.53 20. SV COAL MINERS' UNION OFFICIAL IVAN MOKHNACHIK IN HIS OFFICE/CU PHONES ON DESK (2 SHOTS) 3.04 21. MCU MOKHNACHIK SAYING THIS STRIKE WILL BE PERMANENT AND IT WILL GET ATTENTION. THE POWER STATIONS ARE RUNNING OUT OF THE COAL THEY NEED FOR FUEL, AND WHEN THE LIGHTS START GOING OUT ACROSS RUSSIA, THAT WILL GET ATTENTION (RUSSIAN) 3.38 22. CU DOCUMENTS ON DESK 3.42 23. MCU MOKHNACHIK SAYING THE GOVERNMENT IS FORCING CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ON ITSELF -- ON US, WHO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THAT IS WHY WE ARE RAISING THE QUESTION OF A CABINET RESHUFFLING OR RESIGNATION (RUSSIAN) 3.59 24. CU PHOTOGRAPHS OF MINERS (2 SHOTS) 4.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 17th December 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROSTOV-ON-DON AND MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVAETS7MIK73XF22YIOU37PG5HYU
  • Story Text: INTRO: Organisers of a major coal-miners strike due to start in Russia say they are determined to see it through however long it takes.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------- Russian coal miner Yuri Popov is running out of food.

    Like his fellow miners across Russia, Popov has not been paid for eight months.

    On Tuesday (December 3) he and roughly 100,000 others begin the fight for back pay with a nation-wide strike, which union officials say will last indefinitely.

    Major strikes have become almost commonplace in Russia over the past year, as government employees ranging from air-traffic controllers to soldiers have suffered not only non-payment but also deteriorating working conditions.

    Government employees have also lost their Communist-era perks such as subsidised vacations and special stores, a luxury that Yeltsin's government has simply been unable to meet.

    The store for workers at Popov's mine, for example, is rarely stocked.

    Union officials estimate at least half the 220,000 coal miners in Russia will join Tuesday's strike.

    Russian miners have held a series of strikes over the past year, the last being on November 5th. Union representatives, however, say this one will be different.

    "This strike will be permanent, and it will get attention," miners' union representative Ivan Mokhnachik said.

    "The power stations are running out of the coal they need for fuel, and when the lights start going out across Russia, that'll get attention," he added.

    This time the union has added a second demand to the habitual back-pay claim -- the resignation of the government.

    Miners especially feel betrayed by Boris Yeltsin, who pledged immediate restitution of their salaries if re-elected.

    "The government is forcing civil disobedience on itself -- on us, who work for the government. That is why we are raising the question of a cabinet reshuffling or resignation," Mokhnachik said.


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