Members of the local trade union organisation “Octan” affiliated to the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU) at “Lynik” JSC have suffered from constant pressure and intimidation from their employer. As a result the membership decreased from 900 members in 2007 to 148 in 2010.
Management of “Nikopol ferroalloy’s plant” JSC intimidated and put pressure on members of the local organisation of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) to force the workers to leave the union. Employees were called to the management office a few times per shift and were threatened with dismissal and failure to pass the workplace exams, the result of which would also be dismissal or demotion. As a consequence the number of members decreased from 200 to 10 during November-December 2010.