/ 24 February 2009

Solidarity hits back at Lonmin job cuts

Solidarity on Tuesday hit back at Lonmin which earlier said it had reached "an agreement" with trade unions to retrench 4 000 employees.

Trade union Solidarity on Tuesday hit back at platinum producer Lonmin which earlier in the day said it had reached “an agreement” with trade unions to retrench 4 000 employees at its Marikana mines.

Solidarity maintains that consultations with the company are still under way and that the process has by no means been finalised.

Solidarity said: “In terms of the original Section 189 notice issued to Solidarity in November last year, the company plans to retrench 3 000 employees at Western Platinum and 1 000 employees at Eastern Platinum. In addition, 1 500 employees have already been retrenched at Lonmin’s Limpopo mine following the closure of the mine.”

Lonmin said earlier that up to 5 500 jobs would be lost at its Marikana and Limpopo operations and that that it had reached an agreement with trade unions regarding the retrenchment of employees as a result of restructuring.

Lonmin stated: “The agreement at Marikana allows for a reduction of up to 4 000 full-time employees or contractors, 300 of which are expected to be management personnel,” Lonmin said, adding that following agreement at Limpopo, the Baobab shaft will be placed on care and maintenance, with around 1 500 full-time employees expected to be retrenched.

Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said: “The process is still a long way from completion. It is not at all yet certain that 4 000 employees will lose their jobs at Lonmin, as the company claims.

“Solidarity is still involved in a consultation process and will still propose alternatives to retrenchment. We will ensure that labour legislation is followed to the letter and runs its full course. Solidarity has definitely not agreed to this figure.”

Kleynhans said Solidarity would tomorrow (Wednesday) continue the consultation process, as prescribed by the Labour Relations Act. “Tomorrow we will primarily have consultations regarding the possible mitigating options currently available to reduce the extent of the planned retrenchments,” he said.

Solidarity says that that various aspects should be taken into consideration in order to reduce the planned retrenchments. Solidarity’s proposals include doing blasting on Sundays and letting employees work one Saturday per month.

“In addition, natural attrition and employees who are willing to take voluntary severance packages should also be taken into account,” says the union.

Solidarity added that it believes tension is now building because 300 top members of management, who are not protected by the consultation process or by trade unions, have already received notices of retrenchment. — I-Net Bridge