Bulqize, miners’ health deteriorated
24/09/2011 00:00
Linda Rama: Between Family, Work and Albania’s Future 18/08 14:30
The health conditions of several miners in the hunger strike have deteriorated during the night.
According to most recent information, two of them have shown heart problems and symptoms cold.
Two of the miners, the 50 year old Sali Aliu and Xhemal Meta, were advised by the doctors to abandon the strike.
The miners who are demanding the ACR Company better working conditions, wage increase and a lower pension age has entered its sixth day.
United Opposition representatives traveled this Wednesday to Bulqize for watching the situation of the miners who are on strike.
The expressed their concern and accused the Minister of Agriculture, Genc Ruli, of trying to turn them into slaves.
A second hunger strike has started in Bulqize, organized by chrome miners’ syndications. The workers protested in front of the ACR Company, but police did not allow them to enter the building.
The miners then gathered in a bar at the entrance of the ACR Company offices, which is rented by the syndication. The leading council of the syndication decided to start a second hunger strike, since the miners hadn’t received a positive answer for their requests.
The syndication leader explained the reasons why the miners were isolated in front of the ACR Company administration. The syndication and the company negotiated some days ago and agreed on all points of the agreement, except from the miners’ request for dismissing the ACR director.
The “Decometal” representatives discussed with the syndications and reached a verbal agreement. The ACR Company announced through a press release that the miners who would not interrupt the strike, would be fired. This brought the reaction of the syndications who sued the ACR Company for violating the strike law.
The Director of the Bulqize Mine, Medat Zogu, declared for Top-Channel’s program “Shqip” that behind the syndication actions are hidden personal interests.
He considered the miners’ request for his dismissal as shameful and offending.
“The strike has no motivation, because the miners have a collective agreement with the Syndication. However, ACR took in consideration the miners’ demands, but unfortunately, the syndication continued bringing up other demands”, Zogu declared.
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