Olexiy Soroka and Ivan Chukov, two mineworkers from Selydove, Donetsk, Ukraine have ended their 12 day hunger strike.

Their colleague, local union president and Selydove City Councillor Victor Trifonov, set himself on fire at the same protest last week. Victor is still in the hospital, improving and recovering.

The hunger strike was suspended after the government agreed to pay the majority of back wages owed to the miners. This is a victory achieved by these miners’ sacrifice. Of course, it shouldn’t take hunger strikes and risking death for workers to be paid what they are owed.

Sadly, everyone expects the wages to go unpaid again in the next months, and the miners’ union declared that they are preparing to escalate protests. Before Olexiy and Ivan departed, back to their jobs at the mine, they stopped by ГО “Трудові Ініціативи” to discuss legal assistance and solidarity support for the mineworkers as they continue to fight for fairness and against corruption.

Labour iNitiative
Alex and Ivan Soroka Chukov, from the state enterprise Selydivvuhillya in Donestk Oblast, chairman of the local Independent Union  of Mineworkers