About 200 miners of the Dzidziguri mine went on strike in Tkibuli after the employer demanded they use the tunnel of Mindeli mine to reach their regular work site, which they say “takes too much time and effort”.

According to the miners, the alleged reason for the change in route was a mandatory check of the apparatus miners use to descend into Dzidziguri mine. 

Miners think that the company plans to reduce the number of employed people noting that “the new investor says it needs more than one month for the mandatory check of the rope, while earlier this process needed less than a week”.

They added that the new investor, Steel International Trade Company, has not improved working conditions and has not fulfilled its obligations. Some of the miners say that they will go to the mine and stay there until their requirements are fulfilled.

Miners in Tkibuli stopped their protest on September 26, as they were promised to be paid their salaries on September 30.