Court rules Kazakh strike illegal

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MANGISTAU OBLAST, Kazakhstan – The Zhanaozen local court has ruled the ongoing OzenMunaiGaz oil workers’ strike illegal, news media reported March 11.

However the court also found company executives had violated the country’s labour code and gave the firm one month to explain what corrective measures it would undertake.

Company general director Kenzhebek Ibrashev told the newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda that workers had fallen under the influence of “irresponsible agitators”.

The number of strikers passed 10,000 March 10. Kazakhstan Today reports the workers are demanding replacement of company management and their trade union chairman, as well as cancellation of a new payment scheme that they fear will lead to pay cuts. The company has stated the new payment system is meant to comply with Kazakh law and will not cause pay cuts.