The Independent Trade Union of Ukrainian Miners is alarmed at the plans of the government to start the reconstruction of 35 coalmines and close another 35 coalmines.
“This is a matter of the energy security of the country. We can tell you that if today we aren’t able to hold the situation steady, in two years we’ll fully depend on coal from neighboring countries,” Chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Ukrainian Miners Mykhailo Volynets said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.
He said that the above-mentioned measures are stipulated in the government’s program on the development of the coal sector for the period until 2030.
In addition, he said that the stoppage for reconstruction of 35 mines would simply be a guise for shutting them down, as the national budget for 2013 does not foresee the funds for the reconstruction of the mines.
“The government says that people will not be dismissed. Our trade union does not believe this. The closure will affect 100,000 miners and around 700,000 employees of allied companies,” Volynets said.
He called on the government to start a social dialog with trade unions to find a comprehensive decision in settling the problems of the coal sector with the participation of scientists, territorial communities and investors.
He also said that coal deposits in Ukraine with the current need will be enough for 450 years and in Europe – 15 years. He does not rule out that the mines are being closed to sell deposits to foreign investors.
“Our oligarchs might think that the coalmines could be closed today, dismiss miners and then to sell deposits and coal stocks to foreign investors in better conditions, maybe, to China,” he said.
Volynets also said that on February 2, 2013, mass strikes of miners were held in Chervonohrad (Lviv region) and Novovolynsk (Volyn region) in protest at the closure of mines. The strike participants put forward demands for the re-privatization of energy complex facilities.
He said that if the government does not start a social dialog with trade unions and does not take measures preventing the destruction of the coal sector, the trade unions will take matters into their own hands, calling on miners to protest.
