MOSCOW, September 17 (RAPSI) - Shelkovo City Court on October 4 will hear the lawsuit of cosmonaut Sergei Volkov against Yu. A. Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center contesting industry wages.

The plaintiff believes the state, represented by the Center, is withholding pay from the cosmonauts. Volkov's claim asserts that "considerable amounts of money" are involved.

Cosmonaut Sergei Zaletin earlier told the press that Volkov is representing all military cosmonauts, as least those presently employed in the industry. "Volkov represents all former cosmonauts who are suing the head of CTC Sergei Krikalev for the discrepancy in cosmonaut pay. For the same amount of work people get different pay," - Zelatin said.

The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center has been rocked by reorganization problems since 2009, when it was transferred from the Defense Ministry to the civilian Federal Space Agency. An unnamed Russian cosmonaut told the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper last year that the prolonged reorganization had affected cosmonauts' income and career prospects, breeding discontent in the ranks.