Oil workers strike in West Kazakhstan now in third month

[Crux]

Oil workers strike in West Kazakhstan now in third month

10/08/2011
Hundreds sacked and union lawyer sentenced to six years in jail. Intransigent employer refuses negotiations. Now a striker murdered!
CWI Kazakhstan
http://www.socialistworld.net/img/20110810Grafik6647334795621444748.jpg
The determination of the oil workers on strike in West Kazakhstan is increasing day by day. Two events have served to escalate the tension.
Last week, on the 2nd August, 28 year old trade union activist Zhalsylyk Turbaev was murdered at his workplace. He was due to attend a trade union meeting at which he was to play a key role in revealing the corrupt activities of the previous trade union representative, but the management insisted he stay at his workplace. Once the meeting started, he was approached by three thugs, his body was found only some time later. This apparently all took place in premises guarded by the company’s own security service.



Yesterday, the 8th August, the verdict against trade union lawyer, Natalia Sokolova was delivered. She has been given a horrendous sentence of six years in prison “for stirring up social tension”. During her one week trial, the judge allowed no witnesses for the defence, nor evidence by independent experts from Almaty. A long queue of management representatives gave evidence backed by experts from the recordings made by police through illegal listening devices. Comments were taken out of context, but Natalia was not allowed access to the tapes. The workers are interpreting this court decision as an attempt to ban trade union activity completely.
In agreement with the strikers, the CWI in Kazakhstan has set up a solidarity campaign to help the families and particularly children during this difficult period.



To ensure transparency and the correct use of funds, the management of the campaign is being overseen by a committee of well known cultural figures from Kazakhstan (See appeal letter) . These include:- the editor of the Kazakh language paper “Zhas Alash”, Ryspek Sarsenbayev; the internationally renowned artist, Kanat Ibragimov; theatre director, Bolat Atabaev; president of the “Leave our homes alone” campaign, Yesenbek Ukteshbaev; trade union activist, Igor Kolov; vice-president of the All-Republic “Zhanartu” trade union and president of the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement, Ainur Kurmanov; civic activist, Bakhit Tumenova and writer and poet, Mukhtar Shakhanov.



The strikers have also asked Paul Murphy, Member of the European Parliament from the Irish Socialist Party, to assist in raising money from the international trade union and workers’ movement and he has subsequently opened a bank account to which donations can be sent.
A special appeal letter aimed at trade union and other organizations, including details of the bank account can be found here (http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5222) and a longer analytical article taking up some of the disinformation spread by the employers and Kazakhstan state about the strike can be found here (http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5223).
Further information, messages of support etc via: [email protected]
Messages of protest can be sent to [email protected] (KazMunaiGas - the company), [email protected] (the local government) , [email protected] (the state’s sovereign wealth fund that holds a majority of shares in KMG) [email protected] and [email protected] (Karazhanbasmunai – one of the subsidiary companies). A model letter of protest can be found on www.paulmurphymep.eu (http://www.paulmurphymep.eu/).

[L.J.Solidarity]

Apparently another imprisoned striker has been sentenced to a year in prison yesterday.
Here's an international solidarity and donation appeal from the strikers:
STRIKING OILWORKERS OF KAZAKHSTAN

APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY AND FINANCIAL HELP
From the oil workers of “KarazhanbasMunai”, “ArgymakTransServis”, “TulparMunaiGaz” and “OzenMunaiGaz” (Daughter companies of “KazMunaiGaz”)
Negotiations between the employers and the trade union representing our workers over the implementation of pay coefficients for regional and dangerous work broke down when the employer used security guards and the police to prevent our elected representatives, including the union’s lawyer Natalia Sokolova, from participating in the work of the arbitration board.
Following a short hunger strike in early May, thousands of workers engaged in an industrial strike battle. The employers have been assisted by the courts and the police. Hundreds of the strikers have been sacked. Two of the union’s elected negotiators, Natalia Sokolova and Akzhanat Aminov, at the request of the employer, have been arrested and Natalia Sokolova has already been sentenced to six years in jail on charges of “stirring up social conflict”. No defence witnesses or independent experts were allowed by the judge during her trial. The house of another of the negotiators was subject to an arson attack by unknown persons. Now, one of our leading activists, Zhalsylyk Turbaev has been murdered.
The conflict has been going on for more than two months. The strikers and their families protest outside the gate of the employers every day under the searing sun. Now, because of the lack of wages, the economic position of the strikers and their families is getting worse by the hour.
At the present time, we are demanding the restoration of negotiations. Our only conditions are that our lawyer, Natalia Sokolova, and trade union activist, Akhzanat Aminiv, are immediately released from prison, and that all those workers who have been fired are reinstated on their former contracts.
We call on all trade unions and worker activists in Kazakhstan, Russia, Europe and the world to support our just demands and organise a campaign of solidarity. We very much need your help and support, because the employers, together with the state are trampling on our rights at work, they are trying to destroy our right to trade union representation. Our leaders and elected representatives are sitting in jail, and a whole number of other activists are facing criminal and administrative charges. Hundreds of strikers have now been sacked.
The workforce is determined to fight to the end. With your support we will be much stronger and we can overcome the resistance of the employers and the state that supports them.
Messages of support should be sent to: [email protected]
Help for strikers and their families urgently needed

We have established a special fund in Kazakhstan to provide support for the strikers’ families and especially children, with the new school year just weeks away. We have no resources even to support the strikers and their families with day to day necessities.
The management of the fund is being overseen by a committee of well known cultural figures from Kazakhstan, including :- the editor of the Kazakh language paper “Zhas Alash”, Ryspek Sarsenbayev; the internationally renowned artist, Kanat Ibragimov; theatre director, Bolat Atabaev; president of the “Leave our homes alone” campaign, Yesenbek Ukteshbaev; trade union activist, Igor Kolov; vice-president of the All-Republic “Zhanartu” trade union and president of the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement, Ainur Kurmanov; civic activist, Bakhit Tumenova and writer and poet, Mukhtar Shakhanov.
We have agreed with Paul Murphy, Member of the European Parliament, from the Irish Socialist Party, that he assists in raising money from the international trade union and workers’ movement and that he has subsequently opened a bank account to which donations can be sent.
The details of the account are:

Workers’ Solidarity Fund
IBAN BE29 7340 3242 2964
BIC KREDBEBB
All donations will be acknowledged.