Last month I had the opportunity to visit the health spa resort town of Borjomi, Georgia. And there I met some of the hundreds of workers at the mineral water factories who have been forced to go out on strike.
I got to witness the first meeting between a state-appointed mediator and the workers. A delegation of ten workers was sent into the meeting and there they made their case.
They were furious, and rightly so. Fifty of the workers -- including many of those who played leading roles in a strike last year -- were sacked, among them the union's leader. They were angry about pay cuts, precarious work, and even the company's theft of union dues.
The reaction of management was to intimidate, threaten and blackmail the workers.
It didn't work. Instead, the 400 workers voted overwhelmingly to go on strike, and are picketing both plants every day.
We have been asked by those workers and the International Union of Foodworkers (IUF) to ramp up the pressure on the Georgian government to intervene and to ensure that the strikers' legitimate demands are met.
Please take a moment to send your message of protest and solidarity here.
And please share this message with your friends, family and fellow union members.
Thank you!
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