No solution of miners’ dispute in sight

TIRANA, Aug. 30 – Despite some efforts on the part of the company the miners of the Bulqiza are set to achieve their requests which they say were denied from the start.
On Wednesday miners said they resumed the strike, which they had temporarily suspended due to the Muslim festivities of the end of the fasting month of Ramadan on Tuesday.
They also called on Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the parliament to turn their eyes to them.
The ACR board sent to Bulqiza its head Mrs. Skatche-Depich to negotiate with the miners.
But both sides set conditions which are not accepted.
The lady said that she was ready to talk to four miners but without the presence of the representative of their trade union, Kol Nikolla and Taf Koleci.
She also said the company would punish no one for the strike and had agreed to make a 20 percent pay rise and make transparent the investment they have planned.
The miners from the start said she could not lay the conditions for talks and nominee their participation. They supported the idea that the union’s representative had to be present in any talk.
The miners have also increased their requests asking for a 30 percent rise and also the move from the posts of two top managers of the company.
Miners also clashed with police when they learnt that a few strike-breakers had managed to enter the mine and start its reconstruction. Three of them were injured in the brief clashes.
There seems to be no way out for the moment. Both sides are set in their stands.
Miners have threatened to resume their hunger strike.