UC RUSAL created tension in Krasnouralsk on purpose, in order to exert pressure on the authorities, as the company hopes to make the electric power prices go down in this way, Chairman of Severouralsk division of Russian Miners’ Independent Trade Union Valery Zolotarev told UrBC.

‘RUSAL might go to court and fight for lower prices for as long as one year, but nothing would come out of it. This has happened before. It is easier for the company to increase the social tensions to force the authorities to pay attention to the problem. This is what is actually happening right now,’ Zolotarev explained.

‘I don’t think that the closing down of electrolysis facilities at Bogoslovsky smelter will result in the closing down of Severouralsk bauxite mines (SUBR) as well. This place produces about 70% to 80% of all the Russian bauxites. And there is much more to aluminum than just windows and tableware. It is used for making airplanes. Shutting down SUBR would pose a threat to the security of the country, and the authorities won’t let this happen,’ he added.

‘Anyway, I still think there is going to be a strike at SUBR as soon as next year. This has to do with the new pay system. Our salary has gone up, but the bonus part has been reduced and made dependent on the market price of aluminum. Its price has dropped recently, so our total earnings will be considerably smaller. At the same time, consumer prices are going up,’ Zolotarev noted.