The Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO once again conveys
its condolences to the relatives and next-of-kin of the miners
killed during the accident at the Raspadskaya mine.
Regardless of the specific reasons leading to the accident
at the mine, it is obvious that the problem is system-driven.
This is confirmed by another accident at the Alexeyevskaya
mine which followed the accident at Raspadskaya.
The owners of the mines set such rules and regulations which
make the miners to neglect the safety requirement and risk
their lives so that to get more or less adequate wages. A
civilised dialogue with the employer turns out to be impossible:
the owners of the mines being aware that the miners will not
be able to find another job talk with them from a position
of force. The possibilities of a labour dispute or a strike
are restricted by law.
The present trade unions are unable to efficiently set forth
the fair demands of the miners. Lack of mechanisms for negotiations
and solution of labour conflicts leads to simultaneous protests
that are taking a riot form with highly probable use of force
by the protestors, which may provoke the authorities to use
force in response.
Instead of entering into a dialogue with the protestors the
authorities prefer to rely on special police forces (OMON)
from other cities and openly deceive and frighten both the
protestors and other minors accusing them of extremism and
finding mythical outer organizers of such simultaneous protest
actions.
It is impossible to conceal deceit and violence in the conditions
of the present information society and wide spread of Internet.
Everything becomes known in an instant, as it happened in
Mezhduryechinsk.
We support the initiative group of the miners and residents
of Mezhduryechinsk who in this critical situation took up
intermediary functions in formulating the miners’ demands
to the authorities and the owners of the mine. The YABLOKO
party is ready to render organizational and legal support
to the initiative group.
We are calling the authorities and the owners of the mine
to replace forceful methods and lies by openness and civilized
dialogue with the miners. It is necessary to radically revise
the attitude to the labour laws, regulations on wages and
labour safety, as well as the functions of the regulators
that should control implementation of these laws and regulations.
Collective contracts and agreements should envisage strict
responsibility of employers for non-observance. It is necessary
to broaden trade unions’ rights, including their rights to
strikes.
Only system measures will allow us to prevent the developments
like those in Mezhduryechinsk. The YABLOKO party expresses
its solidarity with the miners. The miners have the right
to fight for safe labour conditions and dignified life!
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chair of the YABLOKO party
See also:
Miners’ demands should be satisfied.
Statement by the YABLOKO party
May 17, 2010
Sergei Mitrokhin’s condolences
on the tragedy at the Raspadskaya mine. May 12, 2010.
Human
Rights
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