Miners suing ArcelorMittal Temirtau

Miners of the coal department of ArcelorMittal Temirtau have filed a lawsuit against the company, Interfax-Kazakhstan reports. “We request amending the collective agreement with the clause about bonuses depending on the coal production at the end of each year,” chairman of Korgau trade union Marat Mirgayazov told Interfax-Kazakhstan. According to him, their attempt of peacefully settle the dispute was unsuccessful. The company’s management bluntly refused to add the clause about a so-called 13th salary into the collective agreement. “Being unable to come to common terms with the employer, we decided to file a lawsuit in court,” Mirgayazov explained. The first hearing at the specialized economic court of Karaganda oblast is scheduled for January 24. The 13th salary is currently paid only to metallurgists of ArcelorMittal, because they have a clause specifying the production volumes required for bonuses in their contracts. The metallurgists did not receive the bonus in the end of 2012, as the target production volumes were not reached. ArcelorMittal Temirtau is part of the international steel concern ArcelorMittal and is the biggest mining company in Kazakhstan. It includes a metal plant in Temirtau, 8 coal mines in Karaganda oblast and 4 iron ore mines in Karaganda, Akmola and Kostanay oblasts.