UrBC, Yekaterinburg, June 28, 2017. Managing Director of EVRAZ Holding’s Nizhniy Tagil Integrated Metallurgical Works (NTMK) and Kachkanar Ore Mining & Processing Enterprise (KGOK) Alexei Kushnarev denied all rumors regarding alleged layoffs of 500 workers in Kachkanar; the rumor was apparently spread by the company trade union.

According to Kushnarev, the plant does have some over-staffed production departments, but the extra workers could always get switched to other divisions. All in all, the plant could actually use some more workers at the moment.

‘I have a clear idea of how many people are currently employed at KGOK, and I see we are, in fact, short-staffed. We have some sites where we have more people than we actually need, but this extra workforce wold be useful at another department. The thing is, if our employee leaves the company, there are no other jobs to be had in this town. Both EVRAZ and I have this responsibility to protect our people. I believe we have professional and productive workers here and we are generally doing fine,’ Kushnarev said during a break at Sverdlovsk Region Legislative Assembly meeting.