Organizing an effective social partnership among hired workers, the state, and business is one of the most serious problems in our country. None of the parties are hearing, let alone listening to each other.
Fortunately, one cannot say the same thing about the coal mining industry, which is still suffering from unresolved social questions perhaps even more than other sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Last week’s plenary session of the central committee of the Trade Union of Coal-Mining Workers (PPVP) was marked by the common desire to create bridges between trade unions (representing coal miners’ interests) and employers (as embodied by the state) as part of the implementation of the so-called “wages” project.
According to tradition, there was an overview of successes achieved to date. The level of payments for unloaded coal has reached 100 percent, ensuring the regular receipt of wages; coal to heat coal miners’ homes is being delivered; and the budget money comes to the mines on time and in full. Under pressure from the trade union (a phrase used in the report by Viktor Turmanov, the head of the PPVP) the Ministry of Mines issued an order to switch to tariff wages and salary rates, taking into account the 400-hryvnia minimum wage, as of April 2007. Every coal miner knows the number of Minister Serhii Tulub’s order (29).
Nevertheless, many mutual reproaches were heard. The government’s decisions to raise the minimum wage applied to everyone but coal miners. The same situation is being repeated now. As Turmanov admitted, local signals prove that not every company intends to raise the salary rate in April. Indicating this to the Ministry of Mines, the plenary session wanted to go further and increase the minimum wage from 420 to 460 hryvnias in the period of April 1— Oct. 1. The plenary session’s resolution mentions that this will become the main direction of the trade union’s activity in the next period.
In the press release sent to The Day the trade union’s press service called the discussion at Kyiv’s House of Trade Unions “harsh.” This is no exaggeration. During the plenary session some of the discussions focused on cases of current wage retentions at branch companies. As of the beginning of April 2007, wage arrears for February amount to 89 million hryvnias (the debt from past years totals 164 million hryvnias). This is causing delays in payment of insurance and other deductions to social funds. The fees and fines that are accumulating because of this are creating a heavy burden for the economy of coal-mining companies, and workers who are already eligible for a pension are not able to get it registered.
The trade union also insists on implementing the norms of the branch agreement and the provisions of Ukraine’s Law “On Coal Mining,” which provides for electricity and gas payments to workers of coal-mining companies who live in houses with central heating.
Officials at the Ministry of Mines, who are not coordinating the drafted decisions relating to the socioeconomic sphere, were also criticized at the plenary session. The labor, economy, and finance ministries and others, which are hindering the process of adopting the bill on the prestige of the coal mining profession, were sharply criticized. Because of their efforts, trade union officials noted, there is nothing left of this topical bill but its name. Meanwhile, the lack of highly-qualified workers is already being sharply felt. In their statements, the coal miners tried to convince their listeners that “in two or three years there will be nobody to work in the mines.”
The mines ministry is also deeply troubled by this question. The figures cited by Tulub are disheartening: last year alone the number of coal miners working on breakage faces (24,000) called “thunderstorms” at the mines, has dropped by 10 percent (2,500). The minister thinks that young people should be hired for the coal-mining industry. “We believe the current Verkhovna Rada should adopt this law. I think it will be submitted for consideration on Wed., Apr. 18, to the session of the Cabinet of Ministers. I often hear: why only for coal miners? Yesterday I told one of these bureaucrats: ‘Come to the mine with me, to our ‘steep ones’ (coal miners working on steep coal beds — author) and right away everything will become clear to you, and you will instantly change your attitude to coal miners and their work.’”
The minister introduced some points of law that will make the work of coal miners more attractive and respected. The minimum wage for the salary rate calculation must be 25 percent higher than the minimum wage, as defined by current legislation. Taxes for people who work underground will be (if the bill is adopted) reduced by up to 10 percent. The minimum pension with 10 years of seniority has to be 80 percent of the average wage. Young coal miners will receive help in the form of housing, credits and school tuition for their children.
Tulub accepted the criticism of his ministry officials in a businessman-like fashion, but he made it clear that the trade union could be more demanding in defending workers’ rights. As an example, he cited the Selidovuhillia Company whose leaders used only a quarter of the money that came to pay for the February wages. “I think the trade union should have asked the head what was happening. I called him for a report,” the minister continued. “But he did not come; he is hiding in a hospital.”
The Lvivvuhillia Company decided not to introduce a salary increase for workers of primary occupations. The local trade union, strange as it may be, gave its OK to this. However, as Tulub noted, the company will receive 144 million hryvnias to raise wages in the first three months of this year. The minister reproached the company heads and trade union activists for not paying proper attention to creating proper conditions for coal miners, who don’t even have a place where they can wash after their shift. “Do you think I will tolerate this kind of leadership?” Tulub threatened and then asked the trade union for assistance in this matter.
His request found support. Commenting on the minister’s speech, Turmanov reminded his listeners that under the former leadership decisions made at the trade union plenary sessions more often than not remained on paper since they did not get a proper hearing at the ministry. “When a man starts to work and gathers a working team, people see this, but they want more, so they express their demands to the ministry,” the trade union leader said.
“We are aware of all the problems, and we will solve them together and establish order. Trade unions are ready to take control over all the heads who do not understand.” The representatives of most labor groups in all the coal-mining regions of Ukraine also approved a statement in connection with the political crisis, which is becoming more exacerbated. It states in particular that the government crisis caused by politicians is ruining hopes for renewing the coal-mining industry and improving people’s lives not only in coal-mining cities and villages but the whole country.
