According to the miners they are owed US$252,000 for work in Siberia’s Yeniseiskaya coal pit.

According to the Independent Newspaper there were 168 hungers strikers but 18 had to call it off after their condition deteriorated to a life-threatening degree. Several have been taken to hospital.

The mine’s management had offered to pay them half of what was owed but the proposal was rejected by the striking miners. The miners said they did not believe the offer, as they had previously called off a hunger strike in April after a similar promise and the money was never paid, the Independent reported.