Strike Continues at Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, Meeting with Director Planned

For the first time in the history of the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, workers who went on strike organized a closed, secret voting to demonstrate that the management is misleading the public by claiming that only 7-8 percent of the combine's employees are demanding a salary increase and improved working conditions. This was reported by "Azatutyun".

Approximately 2000 employees filled out a ballot titled "Do you support the strike organized for the demands of salary increase and improvement of working conditions?" and dropped it into the ballot box, while according to the company's official data, more than 4600 people work at the combine.

The secret voting began yesterday at noon, and according to the striking employees, the number of voters is expected to increase in the coming hours. One ballot box has been placed in the center of Kajaran city, and the other on the combine’s premises.

“We are already close to 2000, which is enough for us to show that we are the majority. It has not even been a whole day; we started yesterday at 12. We aren’t a state that can organize voting; this is our first time. As of 12 hours in, 42 percent have come to sign. Dear management, do not spread such falsehoods,” said Shavarsh Margaryan, one of the employees of the Copper-Molybdenum Combine.

He noted that the voting also aims to demonstrate that their strike is legal in response to the management's claims that those who did not show up for work violated legislation and the contract.