The citizens of Krasnoturinsk, Sverdlovsk Region, keep trying to protect their rights over the company housing of UC RUSAL’s Bogoslovsky smelter in court. The locals are afraid that the plant might get them evicted from their apartments in case they get fired or retire. According to Sobesednik, people will probably be evicted even from the corporate dormitory-type accommodation.

The court hearing is to begin this month.

‘The situation first changed when the plant became a joint stock company in 1992, and then changed even more dramatically when the business got a new proprietor and came to be called RUSAL rather than SUAL. The new name meant that the management was gradually getting rid of everything that failed to make a profit, that is, the company preventorium, holiday resort, children’s camp, and the dentist’s services. Now they want to take away our homes,’ the weekly paper quotes the workers as saying.

A few years ago, the plant actually suggested that its employees buy the apartments from the company at a reduced price: one could become the owner for 150,000 to 200,000 RUR. However, this offer was not made widely known to most lower-level employees, Sobesednik claims.