Trade unions at the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company (MMC Kola) and the regional union of workers at the Severonikel Combine have sent an official letter to the management of MMC Norilsk Nickel stating their view that striking is not a constructive means of resolving problems.
Unions at MMC Kola state that they can only agree with their colleagues in Norilsk in as much as "all Norilsk Nickel workers must be entitled to an appropriate level of pay". According to union leaders at MMC Kola, "We are perfectly aware that in order to achieve this it is not enough just to make demands - it is essential that we need to bring down production costs so as to reduce the cost price of goods produced. We also need to show the will to listen to and understand one another." Striking, in the view of the MMC Kola unions, can only harm productivity, create social pressures and get in the way of further dialogue between workers and employers.
Today, Norilsk Nickel's enterprises as a whole have the highest standards of social provision in Russia. Moreover, workers at the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company are considerably less well provided for than their colleagues at the Polar division, with the average wage being half of that received by the metallurgists and miners in Taimyr, as is pointed out in the unions' letter.
We consider that this conflict needs to be resolved at the negotiating table, and for this to happen, it only requires a desire on both sides to come to a mutually beneficial agreement and understanding. For many years now, our tradition of social partnership has brought only positive results in the company's activities. It is vital that we maintain that tradition, the letter says.

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