Employment, Energy, Estonia, Legislation, Oil

Eesti Energia's mining arm Eesti Energia Kaevandused board chairman Andres Vainola said that due to the fluctuating situation at the markets and the decrease of need of oil shale, the Estonia mine will adopt again a five-day working instead of the current six-day work week, and therefore come the redundancies.

The Estonia mine launched a six-day work week two years ago, when the production volume there was increased after the Viru mine and Aidu quarry were closed and a part of the employees were transferred.

Vainola said that around a half of the people to be laid off will go into retirement.

Last year, Eesti Energia mined in Estonia mine and Narva quarry 16.5 million tonnes of oil shale. Vainola said that this year's volume will be by up to a couple of million tonnes smaller.

Eesti Energia Kaevandused is the biggest employer in the Ida-Virumaa county, employing 2,600 people.