CONCERN that Russia's metal giant Norilsk Nickel will be hit by widespread industrial action continued to grow overnight with reports of a hunger strike being started by 25 trade union leaders.
According to British and Russian news services the hunger strike was set to start late Thursday.
A spokesman for the unions said the action was being taken in support of a 14% salary increase for Norilsk workers.
The union leaders said they would not eat for a week, unless "top management at Norilsk Nickel continues postponing settling urgent issues".
Norilsk is the world's biggest nickel producer. Any shutdown of operations would have a severe effect on an already tight nickel market.
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This possibility of a strike at the world's largest nickel producer has been hanging over the nickel market for a while now. If a general strike occurs, needless to say, the price of nickel will skyrocket.