The protest action, joined by more than 150 personnel of the enterprise, including more than 40 women, was launched on the evening of May 17. Its participants are demanding that they be paid their wage arrears that amount to an average of 200,000 roubles (about $7,000) per mine worker Despite the fact that the government of Khakassia jointly with the republic's trade union federation is taking "certain measures to influence" private businessman Anatoly Makhmudov, who has rented the mine on a one-year lease, the sum required to repay the arrears, more than four million roubles, has not been found yet.
The local prosecutor's office has already opened criminal proceedings against the mine administration. But hunger strikers have said that they will carry on their protest action "until their legitimate demands are fully met".
A stationary medical station staffed with experienced personnel will be set up at Yeniseiskaya. Alexander Atyukov, trade union leader of the mine, told RIA Novosti that this decision was made by the authorities of Chernogorsk, where the mine is situated. More than 700 mine workers have not received their wages since October 2003.
According to Atyukov, who is also among the strikers, while on the evening of May 17 the protest action was initiated by 148 people, by Wednesday morning their number had increased to 164.
It also became known that a special public fund was launched in Chernogorsk, which plans to render what financial assistance it can to hunger strikers.
