For the workers, for society!

Report on workers rights in Albania

Author: Xhuliano Bregasi

During the last 25 years, the term “worker” - along with all the great importance, difficulties and the problematics inherited in it – has been disappearing from public discourse and political attention of interchanging governments. Sometimes we detect the figure of the worker only tangentially during propagandistic TV chronicles as he seems intimidated by the camera and supposedly amazed by the improvement of the working conditions, as the establishment congratulates the new entrepreneur for the welcoming cheap labour exploitation. On the other side, ironically, we face them more and more often during the evening chronicles as statistics on the number of deaths or accidents at the workplace, such as mines, construction sites, oil refinery or textile factories. What counts for the people in power is exactly what the workers should protect themselves from: the owners, the entrepreneurs, the industrialists etc. In each case, the concerning authorities take care to shift the blame to the occurrences, even to the victims themselves if necessary, but never to the lack of safety measures and security at the workplace. The facts speak clearly about this, as I recall that never in one case an owner or investor has been found guilty for the accident or death of workers under their supervision.

It is exactly in this context of deliberate lack of political will related to workers and their issues, that the struggle of the workers from the Oil Refinery is continuing since 10 months now in the small remote city of Ballsh, for their right to work, for the unpaid salaries of almost one year and for the mere fact of survival[i]. In front of them stand invincible the authorities in charge headed by the “socialist” government of the “300,000 new created jobs” or the vulgar propaganda of “there is work, what is lacking is the professional labour force”. In August 2015, the concessionary Azeri company holding the administration of ARMO[ii] since 2013 left the country, after closing the refinery dipped in high debts and leaving without work 1200 oil-workers. Having a 3 years collective contract is not helping the workers to receive the salaries of 10 months of unpaid labour. Formally employed and practically jobless, with the refinery risking not to reopen anytime soon, the 1200 workers and their families, the whole city of the oil-workers, is in precarious conditions since one year now and is making a living by signing up a long debt list from the small city groceries. The various protests of the oil-workers, deprived by their right to be remunerated for their hard work, fell in deaf ears of an indifferent government. In April, intimidated by a warning for the radicalisation of the protests, PM Edi Rama invited a representation of the Syndicate of Albanian Oil-workers to his office and promised the resolution of unpaid salaries within a two week period of time. Waiting for PM Rama to commit to his promise, in 1^st of May – International Workers’ Day – the workers manifested for their rights in a long march from the refinery to the city centre, emphasizing their demands. Several students, engaged citizens and activists of the leftist collective Organizata Politike, joined the protesting march in solidarity. Despite the institutional given promise, the deadline for the payment of 10 months of unpaid salaries, was passed in silence and with no solution. Even though being responsible for the lack of control mechanisms to monitor the administration of the Azeri company who declared bankruptcy, by pushing to the edge the living conditions of thousands of citizens from Ballsh and its precincts, the government didn’t waste the chance of showing a lack of reliability and complete indifference towards the Albanian workers’ issues. However, workers didn’t lose their hope to retake what’s theirs, but this time by trusting only themselves, in collective efforts and joint organisation. Some merits go as well to the local Syndicate of Oil-workers, who has been supporting them and pushing for their demands (exactly the work one is expecting a syndicate should do).

On May 19, the oil-workers’ protest moved to Tirana. In the midst of many difficulties such as the long distance, economical necessities, health issues caused by severe air pollution, logistic deficiencies etc., hundreds of workers left their city moving to the capital for a two-day sit in protest. Manifestation started in front of the Albanian Assembly, as a plenary session was being held inside. But none of the “people’s representatives” deigned to approach the workers or raise their demands during that day’s discussions. Instead, they were quite busy dealing with underpants[iii] and the ongoing attempt to find which of the party gang had most of the criminals or corrupted people among them…
The protest in front of the Ministry of Energy was followed by a march through the main boulevard Dëshmorët e Kombit (Martyrs of the Nation) heading toward the Prime Minister’s office, where the oil-workers had a long sit in protest for several hours, till late at night. Despite the lack of media coverage, the silence of the institutions and the difficulties to continue under the high temperatures and humidity, workers didn’t lose the force or the determination to continue the protest. The boulevard was roaring from their cry for justice “We want wages, we want bread!”, “I’m a worker in revolt, since 10 months I’m striking!”, “Life with dignity!”, “We want work, we want rights!” etc.

Those workers, who committed their whole lives to the refinery since its construction, revealed the ugly truth lying under the governmental pathetic propaganda: there are professionals, but they’ve been left unemployed! The oil-workers’ resistance talked to institutions, not to political parties, and they showed great determination by distancing themselves from opposition members who tried to hijack the cause or somehow use it. They were firm and bold towards the opposition’s exponents who tried to approach them, by remembering the right wing party of its share of responsibility for their situation and for the failed privatization of the refinery, which later brought its bankruptcy.
Activists of Organizata Politike and “For the University” movement identified with the workers’ cause and joined them in solidarity all along their resistance. They stood side by side with the workers, supporting them in whatever was needed: organization and logistics, speeches and slogans, water and even sharing the poor’s people take away meal: byrek. Many of the protestors had no shelter or relatives to provide accommodation for them in Tirana, so students and activists opened up their modest rented apartments. More than 40 of them were accommodated in the social centre “Logu i Shkëndijës”, in rather bad conditions and no covers, but with the warmth of the unsparing solidarity of devoted students and activists.

The next day, on May 20^th, the protest resumed from 10 a.m. in front of the PM’s office again. The workers continued articulating their specific demands and their appeal to the PM, but despite the governmental deafness, they had to confront the media boycott: no media was present to report the protest to the wider public. Yet another usurpation on media freedom, which has for long been captured by money and power. After a couple of hours in front of PM’s office, the embarrassing governmental silence became unbearable under the heavy rain and the deteriorated health conditions of some of the workers, so the workers decided to give an end to the protest, but not to the struggle for their rights. Their return to Ballsh must not be seen as a withdrawal, but as the necessary step backward for the two steps ahead. Workers are now conscious that only better organization, higher pressure and stronger resistance, could push forward towards the realisation of their cause.
Members of Organizata Politike returned to the small remote city of Ballsh, to meet again and discuss about organisational possibilities and express their continuous solidarity with their struggle. Above all, workers should regain their trust and understand the power that lies in that, for them as individuals but for the society too. That is why we commit to their cause: with the workers to the end and beyond!

[i] http://www.reporter.al/galeri/naftetaret-e-ballshit-proteste-perpara-kryeministrise-fotogaleri/

[ii] Albanian Refining and Marketing of Oil, consists of two oil refineries one: in Ballsh and the other one in Fier, first privatized in 2008 by the notorious businessman of hydrocarbons Rezart Taçi “Taç OIL”, the exact time when its financial trouble started with a current accumulated debt of more than $500 million towards fiscal authorities, banks, suppliers, workers etc

[iii] There was hot topic on media those days regarding the mayor of Peshkopia, who was recorded by an investigative TV program while soliciting sexual favours for a job position. What was simple case of power abuse, was considered by the public opinion as a sexual scandal and a kind of parody of power. The video showed the abuser while in a hotel room with torn underwear, an image which became the leitmotif of social media for a couple of days.

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