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At a press conference held on April 16 in Tbilisi, Georgia, representatives of the Communication Workers Union of Georgia stated that the state-owned company "Georgian Post" violates the terms of the collective agreement and labor legislation, forced more than 1,200 of the 1,500 employees of the company to sign labor contracts for one month term.



The current collective agreement provides that all employment contracts must be at least for one year, and as a maximum to be no limited in time depending on the experience of employees. However, the new CEO of the company, Levan Chikvadze, in November 2012 in order of unilaterally concluded the one-month labor contracts with employees. Employees who do not agreed with the new contracts, were faces with pressure from management including threats of firing.



Communication Workers' Union, representing about 500 postal workers, opposed such unilateral initiatives of company leadership, held two protests in December 2012 and January 2013. However, these actions had not affected the situation. Moreover, the management of "Georgian Post" has created a "yellow" trade union with the founders from high level staff of the company: Qetevan Chavchanidze - Head of the Human Resources Department, Ekaterine Khvadagiani - Head of the administration, Grigol Matuashvili - Director of the Logistical Department, Giorgi Surmava - Director of the Postal Department, Maia Javakhishvili - Head of the Legal Issues Department, Nugzar Bregvadze - Head of the International Relations Department. CEO has sent letter through the company, forced workers join their "yellow" trade union, putting pressure on workers, namely the fact that the contract with them shall not continue in the case of refusal.



At the same time, the management has demanded from leaders of the primary trade union of the postal workers, communication workers union, to vacate the office which was giving them for trade union work in accordance of the collective agreement.



Since the company is state-owned, the union Communications Workers repeatedly appealed to the authorities of the country to the requirements affects the situation in the company, but there was no reaction.



"Communication Workers' Union of Georgia will seek the annulment of moving workers at the monthly contracts, as it violates the terms of the Company's collective bargaining agreement and the legislation of Georgia. We, with the support of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Georgia and all of the independent trade union movement will continue to fight until our demands are met, " said Suliko Mashiya, President of the Communication Workers Union of Georgia.