Nairit workers protest against compulsory leave, demand salaries

The employees of Nairit Plant CJSC have today gathered near the Government building, protesting against the non-payment of their salaries and the compulsory leave.

Receiving the protesters in the Government, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan shared their concerns over the situation.

The people mainly complained of being forced to be de jure unemployed; some said they didn’t even have money to go to work.

The minister promised to receive the plant employees on Tuesday once again to assist them in finding solutions to their problems.

Some of them insisted on a meeting right away, but the minister said it was impossible as the Government is having a session on Thursday.

Talking to journalists Minister Armen Movsisyan said the situation resulted from the global recession.

“After the crisis, chemical industry came to a halt. They are now trying to elaborate plans to find ways out,” he said.

Mr Movsisyan also said that Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan had told him that the same problems existed in mining industry about two years ago, but the situation rapidly stabilized.

“Industry is one of the spheres not so easy to restore. This is now a global problem not restricted to Nairit,” he said.

But this did not seem to console the protesters.

“How will the people come to work till Tuesday? The people don’t have money. Accept us today, Mr Minister. If the factory does not work, why does he [meaning PM Sargsyan] hire new employees?” the protesters said.