VYATSKIYE POLYANY, Russia — Workers at a weapons plant in western Russia have walked off the job to demand payment of several months’ back wages, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reports.
Workers at the Molot (Hammer) plant in the town of Vyatskiye Polyany say they will not resume production until they are paid in full.
The facility, situated in Kirov Oblast almost 900 kilometers northeast of Moscow, is best-known for producing Kalashnikov assault rifles, machine guns, and antitank mines.
RFE/RL reported that the plant currently owes its workers about 3 million rubles ($1,085,000). The plant started experiencing financial problems in recent years after the government cut back on weapons orders.
Management then tried to diversify the plant and started producing equipment for carpenters, office furniture, clothes dryers, and hunting rifles instead of its traditional output.
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