Your trusted source

Employees of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) continued their strike on Monday, marking the fourth day of the protest.

“We remain resolute in our demands and are making progress step by step,” ZCMC worker Vahe Mkhtaryan told Panorama.am in an interview, highlighting that today’s protest was the largest so far.

“We are awaiting a response. The issues regarding the legitimacy of the strike seem to have been resolved. It was alleged that only 7-8% of ZCMC employees joined the protest, but this does not reflect the reality. An open and transparent vote indicates that we are nearing the 50+1% threshold,” Mkhtaryan explained.

The strike began on Friday morning, with hundreds of employees demanding a pay rise and better working conditions.

In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the ZCMC administration and its labor union called the protest unlawful and threated to place the striking employees on involuntary leave.

"Due to employees' illegal actions, the company's production cycle has been disrupted, resulting in substantial financial losses for the company and its remaining staff,” the statement read.

The protesters insisted on their demand for social justice and called for mechanisms of open dialogue to be established.

“This is a labor revolt for social justice, and above all, we need to institutionalize mechanisms for open dialogue. We should not have to gather every time to address the numerous ongoing issues. Our main demand is a salary increase and the establishment of these mechanisms. The trade union has never supported us, and instead, it often acts in the interests of ZCMC,” stressed Mkhtaryan.

The strikers are now waiting for a response from the ZCMC leadership and a meeting with them.

“We are constantly facing threats. The official rhetoric of ZCMC resembles Taliban-like tactics, offering no room for dialogue,” Mkhtaryan said.

The Armenian government holds a 21.9% stake in ZCMC, with the State Property Management Committee responsible for managing the government’s shares.

When asked whether the protestors had asked the government for support, Mkhtaryan responded: “I believe everyone is aware of the issue, and we are waiting for a response.”