[Translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

About 70 miners refused to go into the mine in Khromtau, demanding higher wages, 12 May 2023

...[About] 70 tunnel miners refused to go down into the mine in the city of Khromtau, Aktobe region...

— I work as a miner. The work is very hard. Let them raise our salaries! There’s nothing more to say,” one of the workers told...RFE/RL...

Information about the miners' strike was confirmed by the transnational company Kazchrome and the akimat of the Aktobe region, where they responded that a working group was sent to the enterprise, which included representatives of the labour inspection department.

“The working group held a meeting with the company’s management. In turn, representatives of the enterprise held negotiations with the workers, during which the parties came to a common decision. The production process has not been disrupted, the tunnelers have begun their duties,” the akimat said in a statement.

According to Kazchrome, at all enterprises belonging to the Eurasian Resources Group, wages were increased by 15 percent in January 2023.

“The new demands of workers “will also be taken into account,” Kazchrome said, but did not specify from what month it is planned to increase workers’ wages...