Johannesburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) yesterday blamed business for using massive retrenchments as a political attack on government ahead of next year’s general election and warned that 22 000 jobs were on the line in the struggling industry.
Speaking to the media, NUM general secretary David Sipunzi said massive retrenchments by business might send a message that the ANC could not defend mineworkers.
“It is therefore clear that the families of those retrenched would be aggrieved and easily view the ANC government as the demon responsible for their state of indigence as the breadwinners are culled like animals from job lines,” Sipunzi said. “We believe that the massive retrenchments may send a message that the ANC is useless and that it can’t defend the workers. So that those affected together with their families assume a hostile posture when 2016 local government elections come.”
Retrenchments
The government has been under pressure to intervene in the jobs crisis in the mining sector, which contributes 7 percent of the gross domestic product.
The NUM estimated that about 22 000 jobs were on the line in the sector as firms, almost double the previous estimate of 11 700 made by former mineral resources minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi last month.
Sipunzi said the figures were not static and rose day by day as strategies of mining companies changed.
“It is in our view that this presents a national disaster. These retrenchments happen in spite of the commitment to work together to mitigate or prevent job losses.
“These include looking at all alternatives and retrenchments being the last resort,” said Sipunzi.
The government, organised labour and business committed to limiting retrenchments at the end of last month as commodities including coal, platinum and iron ore reached all time lows.
However, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, the biggest union in the platinum belt, decided against committing to the pact. The NUM reportedly lost about 40 000 members after being ousted as the majority union in the platinum sector during labour unrest in 2012.
It remains the biggest union in the gold sector and is expected to sign a wage deal with the Chamber of Mines as members have little appetite for a strike.
In terms of wage talks in the gold sector, the NUM had consulted with its members and outcomes of the mass meetings were embargoed, Sipunzi said.
“We don’t want to negotiate in bad faith. We don’t want the chamber to hear from the media that we are going on strike,” said Sipunzi.
Labour unions have been involved in protracted negotiations with gold producers AngloGold Ashanti, Harmony Gold, Sibanye Gold and Evander Gold Mines.
BUSINESS REPORT