CCM supports the strike in "Mermeren kombinat" - Prilep
11/20/2012
Over 400 employees from the marble plant in Prilep on November 19 stopped work and demanded a salary increase by 30%.
President of CCM Zivko Mitrevski and President of SGIP Pavel Trendafilov discussed with the union leadership and the management of the enterprise.
According to the media, management believes that the strike is illegitimate. However, the Trade Union of "Mermeren Kombinat" organized a one-day strike on October 26 which concluded that if demands are not meet, they will have a three-day strike starting with November 19.
Pavel Trendafilov President of SGIP, said that it is inconceivable that the management did not begin negotiations. It is a legitimate right of every worker who meets the norms to ask for a salary increase, especially in the profitable company.
CCM President Zivko Mitrevski explains that a collective agreement can define jobs, bonuses and fees. CCM insists on signing a Collecive Agreement with the Dutch owners.
Marble plant was bought in 2009 by two investment funds from Greece - "NBGI Private Equity" and "Ethemba Capital" which together bought 88.4 % of the stakes. The acquisition was made through a Dutch company for stone extraction and processing "Stone Works Holdings." Now, the current majority owner of the plant is Dutch investment fund "Stone Works Holdings Cooperatief."