ZCMC employees go on strike, demand pay rise

More than 700 employees of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) have gone on strike since Friday morning, demanding a salary increase, Hetq reports.

ZCMC was Armenia’s largest taxpayer in 2024.

One of the striking workers, speaking anonymously to Hetq, emphasized the need for social justice.

“Although salaries in Kajaran are said to be high, they don’t reflect the high cost of living here. There is no proper healthcare system, and people have to travel to Kapan or Yerevan for medical services,” the worker said.

The strikers have two main demands: higher wages and open dialogue between workers and the management team.

“Laborers earn low wages, while middle and senior management are well compensated. Additionally, there is a lack of communication between workers and superiors, leading to poor feedback and work quality issues,” the protester stated.

Workers have repeatedly raised their concerns, but they remain unaddressed.

Before the strike, the employees met with the ZCMC leadership, but the discussions were unproductive and their demands were rejected. Thus, they decided to go on strike to voice their concerns.

The strikers are demanding a 50% pay increase (130,000-150,000 drams).

The mining operations were halted due to the strike on Friday. The workers plan to continue the protest until their demands are met.