Workers at TMK Plants Report Layoffs, Company Denies

Employees of the Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK) plants have reported mass layoffs. According to them, about 500 people are planned to be laid off at the enterprises in January and February. However, TMK has denied this information and explained the situation with personnel. We present both positions.

«Major layoffs are occurring at large plants of the TMK group of companies in Yekaterinburg, Polevskoy, Nizhnevartovsk, Buzuluk, and Noyabrsk. Previously, the company management forced employees to take several days off per month at their own expense. Employees lost out on salary but took the days.

Now, at the beginning of 2026, management has taken drastic measures—layoffs have begun. By the end of January and during February, 500 people will be laid off. The company explains its actions by the lack of orders and prolonged idle time of production lines,” a worker at one of the enterprises told E1.RU.

The TMK press service responded to E1.RU«s inquiry that this information does not correspond to reality.

«For the sites located in the mentioned locations, fluctuating workload is characteristic, which depends on contracts for servicing pipe products. Many employees of service divisions work on a shift basis, which implies high staff turnover.

At the same time, with a decrease in workload, including upon the expiration of service contracts, the employer offers employees transfers to other sections and sites, including with a change of location, with the aim of retaining qualified personnel. Moreover, the employer bears all expenses related to acquiring a new profession and business trips,” the company explained.

It should be added that this is not the first complaint from workers at TMK plants. At the end of last year, several more company employees contacted the E1.RU editorial office. They alleged coercion to resign, transfer to reduced rates, and cut bonuses.

The Pipe Metallurgical Company (TMK) manufactures steel pipes, including pipes made of special steels and alloys, pipeline systems, and other products for the oil and gas, energy, chemical industries, mechanical engineering, construction, and other sectors. The company includes plants in Pervouralsk, Polevskoy, Kamensk-Uralsky, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, and other cities. According to the service «Kontur.Fokus», in 2024, the revenue of PJSC «TMK» amounted to 431.4 billion rubles (approximately $4.3 billion at current rates), and net profit reached 17.5 billion rubles (approximately $175 million at current rates).

A year ago, employees of the Seversky Pipe Plant, which is part of TMK, also reported large-scale layoffs, but even then company representatives denied this information.

The end of 2025 proved difficult for workers at many enterprises. Residents of the Urals massively complained about salary delays, transfer to a reduced work week, and other troubles at work. We published a major overview of the labor market situation.

For example, we reported in it that employees of the Klyuchevskoy Ferroalloy Plant faced regular salary delays, and Uralvagonzavod transferred part of its workers to a four-day week.