[Translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

About a hundred workers of the Aktobe Chromium Compounds Plant protested in Aktobe on Monday, 8 October 2024

About a hundred workers of the Aktobe Chromium Compounds Plant (AChC) gathered on Monday on the premises of the enterprise. They expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that they could receive lower salaries in October.

A large plant that exports chromium compounds to 30 countries was, according to workers, idle for several days at the end of September. The alleged reason is a shortage of raw materials supplied from Russia.

One of the employees, who works as a mechanic in workshop No. 4...claims that he was at his workplace even during the downtime, but these hours were not taken into account.

— For September, they are going to pay us a salary of 150 thousand tenge at best. That is, the bonus is only 20 percent of the permanent tariff. We are not responsible for the lack of soda, which is needed to obtain chromium compounds. The plant management is to blame for this, as they did not create a reserve in time, the worker said, adding that he believes that the situation should not affect the workers' remuneration...

The workers insist that the lack of raw materials should not affect their wages. They say they are ready to quit if the situation is not resolved.

Among other things, the workers made other complaints. According to them, they are given special clothing once a year, and they wear the same shoes in all seasons. In addition, they are dissatisfied with the quality of the food service...

The parties failed to reach a consensus on Monday. Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Aktobe Chrome Additives Plant Radiy Fakhretdinov said that he would discuss the workers' demand with the management team.