Continuing problems at Aviastar lead to worker protests

Published: 5/19/1999

According to the Russian news agency, RIA, on May 12th 1999, aircraft workers at Aviastar in Ulyanovsk aircraft builders held a protest over wage arrears. More than a thousand workers took part in a march to the cultural centre, where a sanctioned meeting took place. The main demands of the protesters are as follows: • to pay wage debts for the past nine months; • to carry out the restructuring of company debts to the federal budget, through the acquisition of blocks of shares to the sum equal to the debts, so increasing the state"s share in the joint-stock company"s authorised capital; and • to allocate funds from the federal budget for completing the construction of seven Tu-204-100 planes in 1999-2000. The most radically minded protesters called to block movement across the bridge over the Volga River, but the majority of participants rejected this. The most active protesters went on to picket the building of the regional administration. Mr Aleksandr Pavlov, Deputy Governor, insisted that the workers of the joint-stock company cannot demand anything from the regional authorities and should instead agree to co-operate. According Mr Pavlov, the administration is doing its utmost to stop the crisis at Aviastar. On May 11th 1999, an appeal to the government of the Russian Federation and a programme of measures to stabilise the situation at the aircraft plant were adopted at a conference of the working collective. The head of the regional administration has also approved an interest-free budgetary loan, amounting to R1bn, which will be allocated to women who work at the plant and who have children. In addition, funds will also be provided to assist 200 families of the plant workers, identified as having the greatest need. BBC reports confirm that negotiations are now being held in the regional administration between the regional authorities and representatives of the strike committee.

Article ID: 515