Two thousand seven hundred mineworkers will definitely be retrenched at Durban Roodepoort Deep (DRD) operations in the North West, the gold mine said on Wednesday.
DRD spokesperson Deon van der Mescht said the retrenchment of 2 700 DRD miners would go ahead irrespective of the outcome of talks the firm and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) held on Wednesday.
The talks were about the possible outsourcing of shafts at the troubled DRD operations in the North West, said Van der Mescht in a statement.
”Terminations were going ahead but not in an effort to reduce wages or other conditions of employment for remaining employees.
”We have signalled our willingness to accommodate a two-month due diligence process of the targeted business units in order for the parties to make an informed decision as to whether or not the placement of ex-employees, affected by retrenchment … will be financially viable,” Van der Mescht said.
”We also lent our support to the notion that a condition of any potential future agreements reached with suitably qualified, independent operators be that preference is given to retrenched employees when they meet their labour requirements.
”This, we believe, could significantly soften the blow of the job cuts we now have to make.”
NUM spokesperson Moferefere Lekorotsoana said last week that DRD agreed to save the jobs of more than 1 500 mineworkers at its North West operations.
The group was retained after an estimated 10 000 NUM members threatened to strike at the two DRD operations in the North West, protesting against the retrenchments.
DRD wanted to retrench a total of 4 504 mineworkers at the two North West operations, but decided to keep the 1 500.
A total of 2 700 mineworkers are now to be retrenched, Van der Mescht said. — Sapa