Albanian Miners Return to Work After Strike

Bulqiza chromium mine | Photo by : Besar Likmeta

The largest chromium mine in Albania had stopped working in July when two dozen miners went on hunger strike, trying to force the mine’s operator, Austrian mining company DCM DECOmetal, to meet a series of requests.  

The striking miners sought a pay rise of 40 per cent, fresh investment to deepen the chromium mine with four levels and the replacement of the local administrator who they accuse of mismanagement.

DECOmetal agreed to the pay rise and to further investment in the mineshafts , but refused to budge on the union request to replace its administrator.

The stalemate between the unions and the company ended last week when the miners agreed to return to work.

On Monday a group of experts from the Ministry of Economy carried out a safety inspection of the Bulqiza mine, giving it a clearance for a return to work.

Chromium is the most important of Albania’s mineral resources, and Bulqiza sits on one of the largest chromite deposits in the world. The mines have yielded about 18 million tonnes of high-grade chromium since they first opened in 1948. The mineral is used to produce steel and aluminium alloys.