Employers at the Rakvere meat processing plant, in an attempt to prevent a strike, have begun threatening workers with dismissal, blacklisting and promises to "make life harder" if they take part in the strike. The union knows the names of those making the threats, and their actions are a gross violation of human rights. 

"To date, we have received information that threats are being made primarily in other parts of the plant, rather than in the slaughterhouse, where workers have a history of striking. Workers are being 'processed' individually, but all the information is immediately known to the shop steward and the trade union," said Artem Arkhangelsky, Organising Secretary of the Estonian Trade Union Confederation. He added that the employer is telling workers that the planned strike is allegedly illegal.

"We stress that the strike at the Rakvere meat processing plant will take place in strict compliance with the law."- explained Arkhangelsky. The trade unions have experts and lawyers with experience in this field.

According to the information available to the union, threats were made in the central warehouse, the spice department and the semi-finished products department. To avoid threats, the union advises workers to record their conversations, as the employers' actions are illegal and punishable by law.

The trade union continues to ask people to report illegal actions by employers and to join a trade union for better legal protection.

According to the strike notice sent by AS HKScan Estonia, the workers of the Rakvere slaughterhouse are demanding an increase in basic wages of 16% starting from 1 February 2018 and another 16% starting from 1 July 2018. They are also demanding that the procedure for performance-based pay should remain the same.