Zhanaozen: Mass strikes to defend jobs

Kazakh workers demand greater protection. Oil, transportation and security sectors affected. The strikers live in shacks and earn an average of 200 euros per month. Exploited by private and public industry.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Since early July, workers of various companies have begun a series of strikes and demonstrations in Zhanaozen, an industrial town in Kazakhstan's Mangghystau region, which overlooks the Caspian Sea. The strikers include oil companies, transportation and security agencies. Some broke the strikes after some concessions by contractors, but many continue to protest.

On July 28, employees of Industrial Service Resources, an outsourcing company of the oil company "Karažanbasmunaj", which has long been active in the region, withdrew from the demonstrations. The management of the company promised to hire the employees with permanent contracts.

On July 30, however, the workers of another local outsourcing company, KMG EP-Catering, took to the streets. The protesters recorded a video in which they addressed, among others, the President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Žomart Tokaev and the Prime Minister Askar Mamin, asking that at least some of them pay attention to their demands.

In addition to the threatened contracts, the priorities for the strikers are various measures of social protection and increase of salaries, which at the moment do not allow for a decent living. According to a worker interviewed by Radio Azattyk, local workers do everything for the oil companies: "The maintenance of offices and rest rooms; we take loads to the canteen; some work seven days a week, others work night shifts."

All for a salary of between 70 and 100 thousand tenge (140-200 euros); the most they can hope to earn is 200 thousand (about 400 euros) for nightshifts. One worker explains : "This money is not enough for anything, even if we sleep in shacks at the workplace to save on travel."

At KMG EP-Catering, a company dependent on Kazmunajgaz, more than 1,000 people work, 300 of them in the Žanaozen section alone. Journalists were unable to get answers from the management of the companies concerned. KMG prepares hot meals for oil workers on duty at wells in Mangghystau and Atyrau regions; it organizes their rest areas in the Kenderli vacation facility and also ensures cleaning and other service needs.

Kazakhstan has one of the strongest economies in Central Asia. However, the Covid-19 pandemic is putting a strain on its manufacturing operations, which are largely supported by heavy Chinese investment. One of the most acute problems is the conditions of workers, who are poorly protected and exploited by both private and state-owned companies.

• kazakhstan
• zanaozen
• oil
• caspian sea
• economy
• strikes
• poverty
• workers