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The employees of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) can challenge their dismissal in court, environmental lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan claims.

The ZCMC on Friday fired eight of its workers striking for a pay rise and better working conditions.

In a statement, the ZCMC management accused them of “inciting and organizing illegal actions and production sabotage”, stating that their dismissal complied with Armenia’s labor legislation. The management also warned the other striking employees to immediately return to work or risk losing their jobs.

"According to Article 114 (Part 1, Clause 3) of Armenia’s Labor Code, an employer is banned from dismissing an employee or terminating their contract if a strike has already been declared," Vardanyan told Panorama.am in an interview on Saturday.

According to the lawyer, the dismissal of employees during an ongoing strike amounts to a violation of labor rights.

"The dismissed workers can take legal action to defend their rights. Since the dismissals are unlawful, they can be overturned in court, allowing the employees to reclaim their jobs," she explained.

Vardanyan also stressed that workers in the mining industry deserve higher wages due to the physically demanding and hazardous nature of their jobs. Otherwise, they may be forced to seek employment elsewhere.

"Workers need to feel socially secure. In addition, labor laws mandate compliance with sanitary norms in hazardous industries, the reduction of health risks and the enforcement of other safety standards. There is an extensive list of regulations that all mining companies and hazardous production facilities must follow. Therefore, the ZCMC employees’ demands for higher wages, compensation for hazardous work and proper sanitary conditions to minimize health risks are entirely justified," she stated.

The environmental lawyer also deplored the Armenian government's lack of response to the situation at the ZCMC.

"The government should act as a guarantor of its citizens’ social and labor rights, including sanitary working conditions. Moreover, the government holds more than a 20% stake in the ZCMC, meaning it bears direct responsibility. Yet, there has been no response. Even state ownership in a company has failed to bring about any change, especially in labor rights protection,” the lawyer said.

Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan recently told reporters that dealing with the ZCMC strike was not within the government’s jurisdiction despite its 22% stake in the company.