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The striking employees of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) are demanding formal assurances from the Armenian government that their demands will be met once production operations resume at the metallurgical enterprise.

The ZCMC workers began the strike on 31 January to demand a 50% pay rise and better working conditions. Their representatives and senior ZCMC executives failed to reach an agreement during the talks held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"The government urges us to return to work, promising that everything will be resolved according to the proper procedures, and our demands and concerns will be addressed. But now, I want to ask you – are we ready to get back to work and resume operations?" one of the strikers asked his colleagues at the protest on Friday.

"We need guarantees – written, clear guarantees. We don’t trust mere promises. The people are not to blame for their skepticism," another striker responded.