RMU Zenica miners did not descend into operational pits this morning, their salaries are late

(Patria) - Workers of the first shift of the Dependent Company Brown Coal Mines Zenica, engaged in inspection and maintenance work at the Raspotočje and Stara jama pits, due to delayed wages, again this morning did not descend into these pit operations - confirmed to the media by the Union President Nedžad Duraković.

The Zenica mine, he recalls, is in the process of complete closure, but until that process is completed, about 190 workers are still employed. Around 390 workers are temporarily inactive and are waiting for their status to be resolved in accordance with the social care program.

- It is now the end of February, and the last salaries we received, for September and October last year, were on December 19. People are no longer able to feed their families, nor pay for their commute to work and fulfill their work obligations. I completely understand and support them in this - says Duraković.

According to announcements, he says, during the day we should have information on when their outstanding payments from last year might be made, so we can talk to the second shift workers about them descending into the pits.

- I hope we will receive a promise of an exact payment date, so that people can continue their work. The problem is also that those approximately 390 workers who are not actively employed, until a final solution to their status, receive only the minimum wage. Until this year, the minimum wage was only 619 KM, but they have not received anything either, just like us. They will probably be paid the minimum wage of 1,000 KM for January, but no one knows when they will receive last year's salaries either - says Duraković.

He notes that 24 workers met the conditions for retirement last year, but due to the fact that contributions were not paid for their retirement, these people also have no income.