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Ukraine unions ready to strike if govt. retains high gas prices

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KIEV, July 13 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's trade unions said Thursday they would call a nationwide strike if the government refused to cancel a resolution to raise natural gas prices for domestic consumers.

Tariffs for natural gas and electricity for Ukraine's population were raised 25% on May 1 and another mammoth 85% on July 1.

Hryhoriy Osovoi, a deputy head of the Federation of Ukrainian Trade Unions, told a news conference: "The federation has decided to continue the fight against the government raising prices and tariffs without [providing] appropriate social protection for citizens."

The organization submitted 11 demands to the government and will expect an answer in three days, Osovoi said. If no reply is received or the demands are not meet, he said the trade union would prepare for a nationwide strike.

The federation has held several protest rallies in Kiev and other cities, but the government refused to yield, violating a general agreement between the unions, the government and employers under which communal services tariffs could be raised only with the unions' consent.

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