South Russian miners end strike as wages paid out

ROSTOV-ON-DON, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - Miners in southern Russia ended an underground sit in as part of a wage-arrear protest, after the money owed was repaid, the head of a trade union said on Thursday.

On Wednesday morning, 34 workers at the Chikh mine in the Rostov Region refused to come to the surface demanding they receive their wages. Local authorities calculated the arrears at over 12 million rubles ($385,000), while miners themselves insisted the figure is 21.5 million rubles ($690,400).

"All the miners have come to the surface since everyone has had their wages repaid in full, which is over 21 million rubles," Gennady Kopayev said.

He added that the money was provided by Donugol, a local coal producer, who granted a loan with repayment being made in coal supplies.

Earlier another 10 workers at the same mine went on strike in late March demanding directors pay their wage arrears. They received their wages within a day then.