[olympiaworkers] Workers Occupyng Factory in Ukraine

Inforshop News Feb 5, 2009

Today at 9:30 more than 300 workers occupied the administrative building
of Kherson Engineering Plant. The workers demand payment of wages,
nationalization of the plant without compensation to its owner and are
decisively inclined to occupy the building until complete fulfillment of
their demands. During the occupation no worker was injured.Facto guards
did not resist seriously. The situation is controlled by yesterday's
elected workers' council. The police have not yet appeared near the
building.

At this moment the council is meeting in the former office of a technical
director. Leonid Nimchinov, the chair of the workers council, says that
these events must be widely spread and calls workers from other plants
throughout Ukraine to display solidarity and support each other. In the
near future he is going to address this call to workers of Lviv Bus Plant
and other factories.

The main demands of protesting workers:
- payment of wage arrears (near 4.5 million Ukrainian hryvnias);
- nationalization of the plant without compensation to its owner;
- the state-secured plant's production distribution – high-quality farm
machinery

In case their demands are ignored workers are ready to turn to the
toughest forms of protest.

Background:
On February 2, 300 workers of Kherson Engineering Plant started protest
actions against non-payment of wages since September 2008 and actual
destruction of the plant by its owners. During one of the previous
meetings with the workers Ms. Pugacheva, the alternate director, said that
the owners were not going to save the plant. "Why do you stick to this
plant so much?" she said. The workers hold a meeting near the entrance and
elected 5 representatives to the Workers' Council and its chair Aleksey
Nimchinov who will lead the future struggle and negotiate on behalf of the
workers.

Contact
Zakhar Popovich, +380 91 114 01 76
Photos, details and updates in Ukrainian and Russian
financist.org.ua
shapinbaum.livejournal.com
samozahist.org.ua

SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN FOR THE WORKERS OF KHERSON:

Solidarity with the workers of the Kherson Machine Building Plant, who are
currently occupying the offices of the company and will retain it to meet
the requirements! Solidarity with the legitimate demands - honest payment
of money owed - work which can be done any time under the pressure of
power. . It is probable that the owner of the factory will attempt to
utilize the power structures to combat the works council. In fact right
now, for fear of further decisive action, capitalists are trying to
institute criminal proceedings against employees. We believe that it is
now more important than ever to demonstrate to brazen businessmen that the
workers - thousands of people in different cities- stand united. Send
e-mail messages in support of Kherson WORKS!

Recipients:
vd-komp@oda.kherson.ua
alex@bcmaz.com.ua alex@bcmaz.com.ua
boss@bcmaz.com.ua boss@bcmaz.com.ua