In the Lece mine Code Bears two miners are on hunger strike due to dismissal. They started the strike on Tuesday at 19:XNUMX in the evening and now their health is already in danger. The president of the GS of Mining and Energy "Nezavisnost" Časlav Gavrić told "Vreme" that at today's meeting they made a decision to give a recommendation to the miners to end the hunger strike, and that they, as a branch union, will take over other activities related to the protection of their interests.
What happened?
In the Lece mine, two union trustees started a hunger strike because of the dismissal given to them by their new employer in the mine. Since the new employer took over the mine about half a year ago, some employees had a contract for three months. After its expiration, it was extended for another 15 days, after which a dozen employees did not receive contract extensions, JUGpress wrote.
Among them is the chief trustee of the union "Nezavisnost" Svetozar Veljković and his deputy Srđan Jovanović.
Have they received any response from the institutions, Gavrić says they haven't.
"What we did, after learning what happened to them, was to turn to the new employer, where we received an answer only in writing - that they acted in accordance with the law," explains Gavrić.
He further says that they then turned to the competent ministries - the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Economy.
"The only answer I received from the Ministry of Mining and Energy was that the mine was privately owned and that they could not help, if it was partly state-owned, then they would react," says our interlocutor.
He indicates that the president of UGS "Nezavisnost" Čedanka Andrić has contacted the Minister of Economy, and they expect her to react.
In addition, he states that the Minister of Labor is familiar with this case at the collegium of the Social and Economic Council. But, for now, there are no reactions.
What they will do next, says Gavrić, is that they will make a decision to organize a public meeting near the mine next week where everyone will go as a sign of support for the miners.
Support from colleagues?
Gavrić emphasizes that due to fear, their colleagues from the mine did not provide adequate support. "That's what surprised me. I even called on them on Saturday when the miners' shift came out to be in solidarity, that their colleagues are not on hunger strike just for themselves but also for others and that it could happen to anyone tomorrow."
Since, explains our interlocutor, the mining profession is in demand in Serbia, it is strange that these two "good miners are suddenly redundant".
"This is a direct attack on the union and they are made aware that in the future they will not think of having a union and fighting for their rights," concludes Gavrić.
