Kumba’s chief executive officer, Norman Mbazima. Picture: Gallo Images
Striking mineworkers at Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine face dismissal after they failed to attend their disciplinary hearings yesterday.
The workers, about 300 of them, who had been on strike since October 3, are demanding an extra R15000 a month on top of what they already earn.
They seized mining machinery worth R3.3bn, bringing operations at the country’s largest iron ore mine in the Northern Cape to a halt.
Kumba spokesperson Gert Schoeman said disciplinary hearings against the group which has set up residence at a mine dump inside the mine, would proceed “in their absence and they may be dismissed”.
“They have now also been served with a Labour Court order stating that they must immediately leave the company’s premises and that they are not allowed to be within 500m of the company’s premises.
“Should they not leave the company’s premises, police have been ordered by the court to remove them,” said Schoeman.
He said the number of striking workers had also dwindled.
Kumba’s chief executive officer, Norman Mbazima, said: “We have a two-year wage agreement in place that was concluded two months ago with NUM and Solidarity and we see no reason for further negotiations on wages outside the collective bargaining structures.
“The agreement makes provision for a total-cost-to-company increase ranging between 9% and 12%, which is well above the rate of inflation.”
Meanwhile, Gold Fields has announced that about 8500 have gone on an illegal strike.
luyolom@thenewage.co.za
http://thenewage.co.za/65975-9-53-Strikers_at_Kumba_seize_R33bn_mine_equipment
No comments:
Post a Comment