Workers' disobedience spreads to three mines: No one asks if we have anything to eat because salaries are late

The FBiH Government and the relevant ministry promised social care and a just transition in the process of closing the Zenica mine. In reality, salaries are constantly late, and those who have met the conditions for retirement cannot receive it because contributions have not been paid. They have been waiting for a year.

"No one asks if we have anything to eat, we are more hungry than full," say the miners. Those who are still working have not received their April salary.

Although the strike of RMU Zenica workers began yesterday, new information as of Tuesday morning is that a total of three mines are in workers' disobedience as of today - Zenica, Kakanj and Han Bila. No feedback is arriving from the authorities.

"If we talk specifically about Zenica and what caused the problems, it is irregular payment, we have been struggling with this for two years, we work a little, we are in disobedience a little, the reason is irregular payments. What happened yesterday is something new in the last two years, the problem with salary payment unfortunately spills over to production mines. Unfortunately, Zenica is going into the closure process, but what I cannot understand is the issue faced by mines that are in production," says Nedžad Duraković, President of the Union of ZD RMU Zenica in an interview with N1.

Commenting on the decision that even three mines are again entering workers' disobedience, he comments that the situation is difficult, but that "the solution will not be the production of new problems in some mine."

"The miners are solidary, calm, and the only thing the miners of Zenica, Han Bila and Kakanj are asking for is regular payment of salaries. And they will happily do their job," he adds.

Duraković repeats that the miners remain at the strike site, at RMU Zenica, until their demands are met, and the dramatic nature of the situation is reflected precisely in Duraković's words.

"The demand is very clear, payment of the hot meal for March, the miners received their salary after a delay of 58 days. Most of them are in debt, when the money was paid, everything was transferred and the workers had nothing from that salary. (...) We also have deaths, we cannot even pay for that, we are not able to pay severance packages. (...) At the time we are speaking, it is June 16, according to the collective agreement, the salary for May comes in 7-8 days. There is no money for payment, what I have as unofficial information is that work is being done on creating short-term solutions to pay the minimum of demands. And this stoppage in Kakanj and Han Bila further complicates the situation on the ground," he concludes.

In its official letter addressed to the FBiH Government, the relevant ministry and Elektroprivreda BiH, the Management Board of the Independent Union of Mine Workers of FBiH presented urgent demands aimed at preventing a complete collapse and halt of production in the mines.

The key and most important demand concerns the urgent payment of May salaries in five coal mines within the Concern, with the payment for RMU "Kakanj" and RMU "Abid Lolić" to be made already today, and for RMU "Breza" no later than June 18, 2026.

Also, the exact date for payment of salaries for the mines "Kreka" and "Đurđevik" must be determined today. In addition to May earnings, the Union categorically demands an urgent solution for the payment of the outstanding April salary at RMU "Zenica", as well as the immediate initiation of the process of dismantling and transporting the remaining equipment of the wide mechanized face from the Zenica plant "Rasotočje".

As a long-term solution for stabilization and repayment of debts to Elektroprivreda, the union leadership proposes switching to a systemic payment for coal from all mines at a higher, industrial price instead of the market price, demanding that this model be applied for RMU "Breza" already from July 1, 2026, and for all other mines in the Federation from January 1, 2027.