A company linked to the structures of Kairat Sharipbayev, Gas Processing Company, is contesting in court an order to pay 1 billion 19 million 502 thousand 993 tenge to 280 workers. The oil workers claim that since 2019 they have not received in full the payments provided for by law, and have appealed to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with a request to inspect the enterprise.
WHAT THE OIL WORKERS HAVE SAID
According to Ulysmedia.kz, employees of Gas Processing Company work at the Kozhasay field in the Baiganin district of the Aktobe region. The workers claim that they are engaged in hazardous oil and gas production, yet since 2019 they have not received all the payments stipulated for harmful working conditions.
The Baiganin district falls within the scope of the law on social protection for citizens affected by environmental disaster. As stated in the workers' appeal, they are therefore entitled to the corresponding allowances.
WHAT DEMANDS THE EMPLOYEES HAVE MADE
The workers' claims are not limited to the environmental allowance. They are asking for a review of the correctness of mandatory occupational pension contributions, workplace assessments, pay for public holidays and weekends, holiday pay, and sick leave payments.
The workers also stated that the actual danger of their work and the associated occupational risks may not have been fully assessed. They have asked for an independent state inspection of the enterprise's activities.
HOW THE SUM OF 1 BILLION TENGE CAME ABOUT
At the beginning of 2026, the employees formed a trade union and secured the inclusion of a 20 percent environmental allowance in the collective agreement. At the same time, a 10 percent indexation was included in the document.
However, the issue of payments for previous years remained unresolved. The workers turned to the labour inspectorate. Following an inspection, the inspectorate established arrears in the amount of 1 billion 19 million 502 thousand 993 tenge and issued Gas Processing Company an order to pay this sum to the employees, as well as imposing a fine.
WHY THE MONEY HAS NOT YET BEEN PAID
Gas Processing Company disagreed with the labour inspectorate's decision and went to court. Therefore, the amount of arrears for previous years established by the inspection has not yet been paid.
In addition to the President, the employees have sent appeals to the akim of the Aktobe region, Askat Shakharov, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of Labour and other state bodies.
The workers stated that they are not demanding privileges, but are seeking compliance with labour legislation and the restoration of payments which, in their view, are provided for by law.
WHO IS KAIRAT SHARIPBAYEV
Kairat Sharipbayev worked for many years in Kazakhstan's gas industry and headed QazaqGaz. He has also been described in the media as the common-law husband of the eldest daughter of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev — Dariga Nazarbayeva.
In the context of Gas Processing Company, his name is linked to the enterprise's founders. The company's three founders — DanKo Commerce, Orizzonte Solido Group FZE and Sardar Gas — are affiliated with Sharipbayev's structures. In particular, Orizzonte Solido Group FZE is controlled by his son, Daniyar Kairat.
Furthermore, in July 2022, the LLP GPC Investment, owned by Sharipbayev, was transferred as payment for shares in Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund JSC. The company was involved in the construction of a gas processing plant at the Kashagan field.
