The retrenchment of “breadwinners” at Glencore Optimum mine in Middelburg and Evras Highveld Steel in Witbank would be catastrophic to both the provincial and national economy‚ Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Mpumalanga said on Tuesday.
The trade federation said it was “deeply concerned about the envisaged closures” of Optimum mine and Highveld Steel.
The two companies were the pillars of the economy of the Nkangala District‚ and by extension of Mpumalanga‚ Cosatu said.
“The unemployment rate in Mpumalanga presently stands at more than 28% and at 44‚4% in terms of the expanded definition of unemployment. In September 2014‚ Cosatu engaged the provincial department of finance‚ economic development and tourism to intervene in trying to save the jobs bloodbath but that process has not yet yielded any positive results.”
Cosatu said it would engage the office of the premier to intervene before August 10 and attempt to convince the Cosatu special central executive committee to be held on August 13-14 to pass a special declaration on the job losses.
The trade federation would also stage a Cosatu provincial executive committee members sit in at the Glencore Optimum mine on September 10‚ and engage the African National Congress leadership in the province to convene a Provincial Economic Summit as “a matter of extreme urgency”.
Highveld Steel‚ which employs 2‚224‚ has already issued a section 189 notice to retrench 50% of the employees‚ due to capital constraints and reduced domestic demand in steel‚ the federation said.
Glencore announced in January that its subsidiary‚ Optimum Coal Mines‚ was considering the closure of certain of its opencast operations‚ large portions of the coal processing plants‚ and associated support services at the mine potentially affecting 1‚067 employees.
“Through various engagements and company initiatives the impact has been significantly mitigated‚” the company said in a statement. “Optimum is now proceeding with the closure of these operations which will result in the retrenchment of approximately 380 employees. About 250 additional employees have opted for voluntary severance packages and 96 were redeployed to other Glencore operations.”
‘Stop job bloodbath in Mpumalanga’
The retrenchment of “breadwinners” at Glencore Optimum mine in Middelburg and Evras Highveld Steel in Witbank would be catastrophic to both the provincial and national economy‚ Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Mpumalanga said on Tuesday.
The trade federation said it was “deeply concerned about the envisaged closures” of Optimum mine and Highveld Steel.
The two companies were the pillars of the economy of the Nkangala District‚ and by extension of Mpumalanga‚ Cosatu said.
“The unemployment rate in Mpumalanga presently stands at more than 28% and at 44‚4% in terms of the expanded definition of unemployment. In September 2014‚ Cosatu engaged the provincial department of finance‚ economic development and tourism to intervene in trying to save the jobs bloodbath but that process has not yet yielded any positive results.”
Cosatu said it would engage the office of the premier to intervene before August 10 and attempt to convince the Cosatu special central executive committee to be held on August 13-14 to pass a special declaration on the job losses.
The trade federation would also stage a Cosatu provincial executive committee members sit in at the Glencore Optimum mine on September 10‚ and engage the African National Congress leadership in the province to convene a Provincial Economic Summit as “a matter of extreme urgency”.
Highveld Steel‚ which employs 2‚224‚ has already issued a section 189 notice to retrench 50% of the employees‚ due to capital constraints and reduced domestic demand in steel‚ the federation said.
Glencore announced in January that its subsidiary‚ Optimum Coal Mines‚ was considering the closure of certain of its opencast operations‚ large portions of the coal processing plants‚ and associated support services at the mine potentially affecting 1‚067 employees.
“Through various engagements and company initiatives the impact has been significantly mitigated‚” the company said in a statement. “Optimum is now proceeding with the closure of these operations which will result in the retrenchment of approximately 380 employees. About 250 additional employees have opted for voluntary severance packages and 96 were redeployed to other Glencore operations.”
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