(Screenshot /Rustavi 2)
A Rustavi 2 journalist and cameraman were attacked by employees of a railway construction company near Khashuri, in central Georgia on Wednesday. The news crew said employees confiscated their cameras, demanded they delete footage, and beat them.
Tevdore Natsabidze, a labourer at the railway tunnel construction site, walks to work. Tevdore was one of roughly fifty striking employees accusing the construction company of violating labour safety rules (Luka Pertaia /OC Media)
Railway construction in central Georgia is a key part of ambitious plans to modernise Georgia’s infrastructure. Despite warnings from trade unions and official inspectors, life for the workers remains a ‘living hell’.
The railway tunnel near Bezhatubani (Luka Pertaia/OC Media)
Three construction workers have been injured in an explosion, while constructing a railway tunnel in central Georgia. [Read more…]
(gtuc.ge)
Dozens of railway construction workers have gone on strike in central Georgia demanding better labour conditions. According to the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC), they are protesting ‘severe violations’ of the labour code, and an unsafe work environment. [Read more…]
The opening ceremony of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway in Baku on 30 October (minval.az)
The shortest rail connection between Europe and Asia has now began operating. But questions remain over whether the project will bring together East and West, be competitive, and bring economic success?
(GTUC)
Ten people were arrested on 24 August at a solidarity rally in Tbilisi for striking Georgian Railway workers. Tbilisi City Court will decide on 8 September whether to fine them. [Read more…]
Vitali Giorgadze, the head of independent New Trade Union, addresses the public in front of Georgian Railway administration (luka Pertaia/ OC Media)
Seven trade unionist joined a hunger strike on 17 August against the state-owned Georgian Railway company. The company responded by accusing protesters of being ‘politically manipulated’. [Read more…]
Banners in front of Georgian Railway Administration say ‘solidarity to railway workers’ and ‘solidarity to trade unionists’ (Luka Pertaia/OC Media)
Two railway workers from Gurjaani, a town in Georgia’s eastern Kakheti region, launched a hunger strike on 15 August, after being forced to move their jobs.
Protest in Kharagauli, November 2016 (Auditorium 115)
Two workers were injured on 29 July after an accident in a tunnel they were working on. Despite denials from the construction company, trade unions claim that labour safety rules were breached.
Minister of infrastructure of Ukraine met with the delegation of Iran (Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine)
Ukraine is to begin transporting agricultural products to Iran by railway, passing through Georgia and Azerbaijan, according to Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure, Volodymyr Omelyan. [Read more…]
