Diamond miners at Anjin Investments walked off the job Monday after waiting three months for their paychecks. The angry workers demanded face time with company bosses about their missing wages. Management keeps promising the money will come but workers have heard those promises before. The strike hits during terrible times for the diamond business as prices crash worldwide. Fellow mining company ZCDC already fired over 400 people because of the market meltdown.
Company manager Lin Wenwen sent workers a letter admitting they owe salaries for April, May and June. The bosses blame money problems and say they are still trying to get cash from banks and shareholders. Workers will keep getting paid in local currency but the US dollar part remains missing. Company spokesman Special Matarirano claims workers just wanted a meeting and parked their trucks while they talked. He denies calling it a real strike even though workers stopped working.
The diamond industry faces its worst crisis in years as global prices tank. ZCDC bosses say they had to pick between shutting down completely or cutting jobs to stay alive. Union leader Kennias Shamu backs the workers and says companies must pay what they owe. He also revealed a worker recently died from stress after management ignored his health complaints. The mining companies make profits in US dollars but cannot provide safe working conditions for their employees.
Company manager Lin Wenwen sent workers a letter admitting they owe salaries for April, May and June. The bosses blame money problems and say they are still trying to get cash from banks and shareholders. Workers will keep getting paid in local currency but the US dollar part remains missing. Company spokesman Special Matarirano claims workers just wanted a meeting and parked their trucks while they talked. He denies calling it a real strike even though workers stopped working.
The diamond industry faces its worst crisis in years as global prices tank. ZCDC bosses say they had to pick between shutting down completely or cutting jobs to stay alive. Union leader Kennias Shamu backs the workers and says companies must pay what they owe. He also revealed a worker recently died from stress after management ignored his health complaints. The mining companies make profits in US dollars but cannot provide safe working conditions for their employees.
