Awaiting a signal: Hundreds of Krivaja workers ready to start a hunger strike

Hundreds of Krivaja workers will start a hunger strike today unless Government of BiH intervenes with Krivaja management to pay them unpaid salaries.

Partner group of several companies bought the ex-giant Krivaja from BH Government. The obligation of the new owner was to retain all the workers, and to open new jobs with additional investments. The new owner has not fulfilled any such obligation. The workers are now requesting termination of the contract and for Krivaja to be sold to new investors. Cantonal Court in Zenica banned the partner group from any managing the properties of Krivaja, but the group circumvents the court decision. 

- Right now we are at the building of Government FBiH. We are trying to reach an agreement with Prime Minister and his advisors. Representatives of local government from Zenica are here as well. We all hope for the best. However, unless the Government will have a clear vision by the end of the day as to how to help Krivaja, hundreds of workers of this company will start a hunger strike, said Besim Hasic, Krivaja workers' representative.

Thousands of Zavidovici citizens gathered earlier in March at the city stadium to show support for Krivaja workers. Dead Krivaja means dead Zavidovici, the citizens sent the message. As a token of support, all companies in Zavidovici stopped work for 2 hours. Workers tried several times to block all streets of Zavidovici. Nothing that did was enough to get the government involved in finding a solution for 700 Krivaja workers. 

Hasic has warned that some workers threaten to burn themselves unless men on power help Krivaja start working again.