On 17 October 2014, the Third Plenary Session of the prupu_“UkraineCoalUnion” and Territorial Union of Coal-Mining Industry of Ukraine was   held at the Public Joint Stock Company “DETK” assembly. 

Sergey Yunak, President of Territorial Union of Coal-Mining Industry of Ukraine (PRUP) made the following report: “Currently Ukraine is in a state of war. And each of us is carrying on struggle: army – for peace and miners protect the power independence of Ukraine.

Currently “DTEK PavlogradCoal” Association has become a stronghold of coal mining in the country which operates properly, got the energy’s heads above water, and in order to have a stable work in this situation the Union is required to prevent the reduction of active benefits and social insurance to our employees.

In the event of improvement of relations between “DTEK Ltd.”, PJSC “DTEK PavlogradCoal” and Territorial Union of Coal-Mining Industry at the beginning of 2013 our Union submitted its proposals on production activities of coal mines and subsidiaries in “Vertical” program. As a result the number of employees maintained on the level of 26 000 people.

Territorial Union of Coal-Mining Industry presidium has raised issues on the increase in wages monthly. Commencing on 01 April 2013 the wage has increased on the average by 8%.

In 2013 the official rate of underground workers salary increased in 17% through 24%.  The official rate of surface workers salary increased in 15% through 40%. The long record of service rate increased in 20% and at most is as follows:

– 7,200.00 UAH ($560.00) – underground workers,

– 4,800.00 UAH ($375.00) – surface workers.

However, in order to adjust the long record of service rate in accordance with requirements of the Industrial Agreement it’s necessary to increase it in 37%.

Upon the increase in wages since 01 April 2014 the variety of improvements in a system of remuneration of “Hey-Group” labor has been performed. These improvements have been conducted with the allowance for letters and addresses of employees.

Underground workers 6 rates of salary were transferred to 3 rates where the maximum growth of rates fluctuates from 0.5% to 4%. Surface workers were transferred to one rate of salary. Besides all surface workers of 5 – 6 grades were transferred to the 7th grade where the growth depending on the grading group has been from 1% to 5%.

Since 01 April 2014 official rates of many workers increased in 1% through 18%. Since 01 May 2014 official rates increased in 3%.

In accordance with calculated data performed by Territorial Union and the inflation rate in Ukraine the level of wage needs to increase on the average in 10%.

 Federation of Unions of Ukraine News

On 14 and 15 October 2014 the Unions picketed the parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Dnepropetrovsk Territorial Union participated in that event too.

The Unions of Ukraine demands as follows:

 

  1. Maintain and create the sufficient quantity of current working places especially for young people.
  2. Prevent stopping of state owned companies operation due to the limit of power resources.
  3. Repay debts on wages and provide with the insurance payments in the system of the state compulsory insurance, especially at the area of anti-terrorist operations, and support legislative union proposals regarding reliable protection of employee rights to his timely receipt of wages.
  4. Struggle firmly with the shadow economy and tax evasion.
  5. Commencing on 01 January 2015, increase the level of minimum wage, pension, cost of living not less than at the level of inflation for 2014 and restore full indexation of wage income, pension and social payments.
  6. Ensure gradual achievements of European social standards upon the performance of economic reforms.
  7. Assure effective social dialogue with unions and start negotiations with making new General Agreement, industrial and territorial agreements stated by the President of Ukraine in the Strategy of Reforms 2020 and Agreement of the Association Ukraine – EC.

 

 “Komsomolets Donbasa” mine site was massive shelled and fired.

On 13 October 2014 the territory of mine was shelled. Employees took a shelter at the protective facilities. Active fire of the mine did not stop for 4 days. “Komsomolets Donbasa” mine sufficiently was damaged and de-energized. Pumps did not operate and flooding began. 52 mine workers were evacuated. Aimed artillery fire destroyed the results of previous renovations and and does not allow resuming coal production required for the country.

“Each shell to the mine – is a hell to Ukraine. The mine produces Grade “T” coal (lean coal) which is used for power generation at Krivoi Rog and Pridneprovskaya Thermal Power Plants (TPP). If TPPs are not supplied with the coal a city of Dnepropetrovsk and adjacent regions can be de-energized, including population and big companies, i.e. metallurgical pants, coal-preparation plants, chemical companies. And these are ten of thousand working places, hundreds of millions taxes, inflow of currency earnings to Ukraine. All actions in relation to  “Komsomolets Donbasa” mine damage not only to mine workers and Kirovskiy community population but also to entire Ukraine, consolidated power system of the country, Dnepropetrovsk industry and region population. Along with first cold weather the lack of coal from “Komsomolets Donbasa” mine and power supply from Krivoi Rog Thermal Power Plant will inevitably have an impact on the power supply to the central, Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine.

DTEK Power engineering maintenance crew was fired. People hide in trenches. Everything is one to scar people not to go to their work. But they go to rescue their mine which feeds people and a town.

Mine workers have planned to renovate the mine completely and produce coal using five wall faces before the New Year. Miners were working 12 hours shift a day fired with bullets for 1.5 month to begin coal production. On 6 October one miner was killed and one was wounded. Miners have done all possible and impossible, executed unique engineering decisions to give it to the new life. But new damages brought those efforts to nothing. Submersion occurs at the depth of 600 – 800 meters.