Nairit plant employees still waiting for their back wages
Employees of Nairit chemical plant believe the government will keep its promise and pay off their salaries although they have certain doubts, Anush Harutyunyan, a member of the Nairit initiative group, said on Friday. She says the plant employees have reasons for distrust as still in 2014, the government officials again promised to repay the debt by yearend, but failed to keep the promise. Nairit Plant CJSC, which produces chloroprene rubber and was considered a giant of its kind during the Soviet era, hasn’t been operating since 2010. Once the giant industrial complex had 3 000 employees. About 1700 employees of the plant were laid off in February 2015 without receiving their salaries . It is estimated that Nairit owes about $13-15 million in back wages to current and former employees, who have been staging protests in the past six months demanding their salaries. Anush Harutyunyan was surprised to hear Prime Minister Hovik ABrahamyan speaking about the reopening of the plant. “Find investors and I shall support you,” Abrahamyan told Nairit employees. “This cannot be serious. If they are really interested in developing the country’s economy, they will find investors,” she said.
