Estonian Industrial and Metal Workers' Federation today sent out the strike notice to the employer HKScan Rakvere Lihakominaat, according to which the strike will begin on February 6-th at 7:30 am and lasts till agreement with the employer is reached.

Workers of the slaughterhouse demand pay rise of the main salary of 16% from February 1-st and additionally 16% from July 1-st. In addition the system of performance pay should not be changed.

According to Estonian Trade Union Confederation's (EAKL) union secretary Artjom Arhangelski, the negotiations to increase the salaries with the employer have lasted since October last year but agreement has yet to be reached.

"The workers have proposed many compromises during the negotiations but the employer has not agreed to any of them. Also the employer has not given any offers to increase any salaries," said Arhangelski and added that there was also no change after the national conciliator was involved to the negotiations.

"Because the employer did not agree to the terms that the national conciliator offered and did not make any specific proposals concerning salaries, the conciliation process ended with no agreement and the conciliator gave green light for the workers to start organizing a legal strike," explained Arhangelski.