KALININGRAD, Russia, Oct 27 — Unpaid Russian workers staged a rare protest to coincide with a regional visit by powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin today, in a sign of Russia’s ongoing social pain from the economic crisis.
“Where is our money?” asked a banner held up by technician Sergei Zhigun, who was last paid seven months ago.
“We do not pin much hope on Putin’s visit,” he said. “We came here to at least do something.”
Putin, who is meeting with officials on regional development issues and inaugurating a new road, does not plan to meet the protesters, his press service said.
In pouring rain, waving red flags and chanting “wages, wages,” the roughly 200 demonstrators gathered in central Kaliningrad beside a World War Two memorial. The enclave, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania is Russia’s most westerly region.
The protesters had worked for defunct aviation company KD Avia, which was based in Kaliningrad and serviced routes to both European and Russian cities.
It has filed for bankruptcy, owing 480 million roubles (RM58.1 million) in unpaid wages, and is under external management.
Protests over job layoffs and unpaid wages have been held in other Russian cities, with some of the largest in Togliatti, the home of the Lada car, where makers Avtovaz warns it has no work for thousands of staff.
But protests are not normally timed to coincide with visits by Putin or President Dmitry Medvedev. — Reuters
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