The International Trade Union Confederation sent a letter of protest to Mr Mikhail Saakashvili President of Georgia concerning the situation at Hercules Steel in Kutaisi in Georgia.

It may be noted that on August 4th 2011, 147 workers at Hercules Steel founded a union and elected its officials. The workers protested over poor wages and working conditions at the plant. It is reported that the plant lacks the dining facility and the locker rooms, and the infirmary doesn't work during the night shift, which is the most hazardous time for the workers. The wages at the plant haven't been adjusted to the inflation for three consecutive years.

The management refused to recognize the union and fired six elected officials on August 11th 2011. On September 2nd 2011, the workers held a warning strike, demanding the reinstatement of dismissed union leaders and to begin collective bargaining with the union.

The administration responded by firing more union activists. On September 13th 2011, the union launched a full scale strike with the participation of about 90% of the workforce, with several workers also going on hunger strike.

On September 15th 2011, the police raided the strikers and detained several of them. The striking workers were released after several hours, however the managers went to workers' homes to threaten them, and police made several more workers sign statements that they would go back to work.

Mr Sharan Burrow general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, in a letter of protest, said that "The situation at Hercules Steel represents an egregious violation of trade union rights both by management and the government. A role for the government in this situation should have been to attempt to mediate the dispute. Unfortunately, local government not only condoned this illegal activity but actually furthered its objectives through the use of overwhelming police power. This is an outrage."

ITUC urges the Georgian government to stop rights violations at Hercules Steel and to recommit itself to uphold international standards.

Mr Burrow said that "The international community is closely monitoring this situation and the situation of workers generally in Georgia. In the absence of evidence of substantial and immediate change, we will have no choice but to continue and intensify our international campaign to bring about labour reforms in Georgia."

(Sourced from www.imfmetal.org)