Agarak Copper Molybdenum Combine stopped its work due to an unauthorized strike by employees of the technological transport workshop (TT), diversified international group of mining companies GeoProMining reported.

“The reason for the unauthorized strike was the misunderstanding of the provisions of the Employment Contract with the Labor Code of Armenia. Employees of the TT department addressed a collective appeal to the address of the Combine's management, which indicated unreasonable requirements for the payment of additional funds.

Employees of the workshop TT ignored the meeting. The Combine’s work was stopped completely on July 2. The employees do not want to go on a dialogue… The Combine’s administration once again invited employees to discuss the issue on July 3, but the proposal was ignored as well. At the same time, a meeting was held between the staff of the TT workshop, the governor of the Syunik region and the head of the Meghri community, which also ended without result. Currently, employees of the TT department have blocked the main office of Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Combine and refuse to enter into the negotiation process within the legal framework,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the initiators of the illegal strike will be held accountable under the labor contract, labor law and other normative acts of Armenia.