Dozens of protestors have gathered in the square in front of the Ballsh oil refinery to give their support to the 10 women who are on day 12 of hunger strike.
Oil workers have called on Prime Minister Edi Rama to go to Ballsh to meet with them and to help find a solution to their problems. They are protesting as some salaries have not been paid for over a year. Workers also want to resume their jobs at the refinery.
“The prime minister should come and give a solution as soon as possible. Today, on the 12th day of the strike, total silence from the Prime Minister and all institutions of the Albanian state. We are Albanians, so the Prime Minister should not see us in the position of the enemy,” said one of the protesters.
On the 12th day of the hunger strike, the health condition of 10 oil workers has worsened, but they insist on its continuation. Hundreds of other oil workers from abroad continue to support through protests.
Rama has said he is not responsible for the strike and he will only engage with the workers once they finish the strike.
Yesterday, the IndustriALL Global Union (IGU) and its European Branch called on Rama to resolve the issues pushing the workers into a hunger strike.
“We find this situation outrageous and unacceptable. It is a clear violation of national labour law and international core labour standards”, they wrote in a letter that was then published by the Albanian Union of United Oil Workers.
