Poti Port workers’ strike committee starts talks with administration

The strike committee of workers at the Georgian port of Poti, which has been protesting for the sixth day demanding higher wages, began negotiations with the port administration.

Following the first round of the strike, committee member Gocha Cheminava stated that so far everything comes down to the question of wages. The issues on working conditions, health and others have been solved.

"The port management promised us that on Tuesday it will calculate their potential and then continue to negotiate wages," Cheminava said. At this point, the port administration agreed to raise salaries of a group of reservists who work at the port on a contract basis. They were offered a salary increase of 40 per cent. The workers are demanding the same salary increase for all port employees.

Earlier, the port's director general Joseph Crowley said that workers' wages are increased annually at the beginning of the year and that in January 2013 their salaries will increase by 20 per cent.

According to the latest data, about 1200 port workers are participating in the strike.

Since April 2011 Poti Port is owned by APM Terminals, which is a part of the Danish shipping company Maersk.


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