Europe - International Miners Coordination

Open letter from HK, international coordinator of miners, to Merab Saralidzes and the three other miners imprisoned in Georgia

Details: Created: Tuesday, 14 October 2025 22:42; Hits: 1

Dear Merab, dear friends and colleagues, We have received and read the appeal to the miners from friends. It testifies to the courage, determination and integrity of the Chiatura miners in their struggle. This appeal also applies to miners around the world, and we should take it to heart and learn from each other. The delaying tactics and procrastination on the part of Georgia Manganese, the government and the courts are unacceptable, and you are absolutely right to criticise this.

Also in Georgian: Merab Saralidze a protest participant in Chiatura who has been for five months, calls on the people of Chiatura to cooperate and show solidarity, and talks about the importance of joint protest

Details: Created: Wednesday, 01 October 2025 03:14; Hits: 47

Also in Georgian"We have been in prison for five months and are keeping quiet here. As soon as we were caught, they raised expectations, as if they wanted us to be released. This has led us to remain silent, and that is what we have done all this time – we remain silent, we have sacrificed a lot and were prepared to sacrifice ourselves, even if it violated our dignity.

Today we received a letter from a trade unionist in Ukraine. He writes:

Details: Created: Monday, 29 September 2025 13:53; Hits: 52

"Good day, I am currently in a very difficult situation. Due to the war, our mine is closed and the miners who live in our town have practically no means of livelihood. There is only one mine for the whole town, and even that is operating with long interruptions. In this difficult situation, we are forced to look for ways to survive.‘

The miners wrote from Georgia

Details: Created: Wednesday, 03 September 2025 17:29; Hits: 114

Dear comrades, Thank you for your solidarity and the support we felt and still feel. We are only strong when our struggles and voices are united. We send our solidarity to all the exploited who decided to raise their voice against capitalism which is truly showing its real face as the crises deepen. Best regards

Solidarity with the miners of Chiatura!

Details: Created: Sunday, 31 August 2025 00:44; Hits: 111

Workers at a manganese mine in Chiatura, Georgia, went on strike to protest wage delays. Hundreds of miners fighting for timely payments were sent layoff notices via SMS for March 2025. Five miners were arrested in April.

Georgia: Declaration of solidarity and protest against the imprisonment of four miners from Chiatura

Details: Created: Wednesday, 27 August 2025 13:56; Hits: 114

at the cultural event “We accuse: RAG's scorched earth policy” in August 2025 in Gelsenkirchen

We, the 250 participants of the cultural festival, protest in the strongest possible terms against the imprisonment and prejudgement of the militant miners from Chiatura/Georgia and the endless postponement of their trial!

Georgia: Miners in Chiatura, still in custody!

Details: Created: Friday, 25 July 2025 14:19; Hits: 186

We have just received information that the judge ruled at today's court hearing to keep them in custody. He agreed with the absurd claim by the prosecution that the miners would flee or commit further ‘crimes’ if released.

Solidarity with dismissed union colleagues at the Lece mine in Serbia

Details: Created: Sunday, 13 July 2025 15:29; Hits: 237

Two union representatives at the Lece mine began a hunger strike after their new employer terminated their employment. Since the mine was taken over about six months ago, some employees had been working on three-month contracts. These were extended by a further 15 days, but twelve employees did not have their contracts renewed, according to JUGpress.

ICG statement of solidarity with Georgian miners in Chiatura

Details: Created: Thursday, 12 June 2025 09:31; Hits: 270

To the miners and their families in Chiatura. Dear friends and families.

You continue to have the full solidarity and support of the International Coordination Group of the International Miners' Coordination in your determined struggle for your jobs and the preservation of the region's livelihoods. Since I was with you in April, we have grown together and you are like family to me.

Protest statement against the arrest of several miners in Chiatura, Georgia

Details: Created: Friday, 23 May 2025 13:02; Hits: 299

To the government of Georgia, Mr. Saakashvili, the Foreign office, Federal Minister Mr Wadephul and the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Represantative Ms Kaja Kallas. Dear Mr Saakashvili, Mr Wadephul and Ms Kallas, On behalf of the International Miners' Coordination Group (ICG), I am writing to you today: On 29 April 2025, we received news from Chiatura, Georgia, that five leading miners had been arrested at 3 a.m. by the regional police in the tent of the striking miners, some of whom are on hunger strike, and are still in custody.

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