RUBTSOVSK, Russia -- The employees at a struggling tractor plant in Russia's Altai Krai have been informed they will be laid off, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
A total of 744 people, including the director of the Rubtsovsk plant, will lose their jobs.
The decision was made by the RATM Industrial Group, which owns the plant. Only 50 security officers will remain at the facility. The workers will officially lose their jobs in early September.
The plant's owners must settle all debts to the workers before then.
In mid-May, 172 of the plant's workers held a weeklong hunger strike to demand their overdue salaries, which were duly paid.
Altai Krai Deputy Governor Vitaly Ryapolov told the workers today after talks with RATM representatives that the remaining workers will be paid their overdue salaries, beginning on June 10. But union leaders want all arrears to be paid by the end of June.
The workers told RFE/RL that they were planning a new hunger strike, in which at least 400 workers will take part.
A total of 744 people, including the director of the Rubtsovsk plant, will lose their jobs.
The decision was made by the RATM Industrial Group, which owns the plant. Only 50 security officers will remain at the facility. The workers will officially lose their jobs in early September.
The plant's owners must settle all debts to the workers before then.
In mid-May, 172 of the plant's workers held a weeklong hunger strike to demand their overdue salaries, which were duly paid.
Altai Krai Deputy Governor Vitaly Ryapolov told the workers today after talks with RATM representatives that the remaining workers will be paid their overdue salaries, beginning on June 10. But union leaders want all arrears to be paid by the end of June.
The workers told RFE/RL that they were planning a new hunger strike, in which at least 400 workers will take part.
