"We are launching a determined fight against Nestle for its 'anti-staff' activities in Russia. Such companies should not be working on the Russian market," said Mikhail Shmakov, head of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR).
Employees from a Nestle factory in Perm, in the Urals, picketed the Nestle Moscow office at 2:00 p.m. Moscow time (11:00 a.m. GMT) demanding higher wages and criticizing the company for ignoring regional inflation rates.
Agricultural union leader Natalya Agapova said the average wage at Nestle's Kamskaya confectionary plant (in Perm) was 16,000 rubles ($671), with factory workers receiving a meager 7,000 rubles ($294).
Nestle Kamskaya's management has called the workers' demands "ungrounded," but said it was ready to hold talks with trade union representatives.
Nestle Russia said in a statement: "We hope the trade union will resume talks and we can continue with our joint work improving staff working conditions at the branch. We affirm that it is in our interests to resolve the labor dispute based on economically justified and acceptable proposals."
Headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestle employs around 276,050 people and has factories or operations in almost every country in the world.
