JOHANNESBURG - Anglo American Platinum said on Thursday the unprotected strike that led to the dismissal of 643 employees at its Mototolo mine had been resolved following ongoing engagements with the General Industrial Workers Union (GIWUSA) over the past three weeks.
On May 20, Amplats said it had dismissed about 50 percent of the underground workforce at Mototolo over the unsanctioned strike, giving them until the next day to appeal.
GIWUSA had served a notice to strike at Mototolo over a dispute regarding employees’ medical scheme after the purchase of the mine from Glencore last November and proceeded with the industrial action despite Amplats being granted an interim court interdict against it.
"In terms of the collective agreement signed by the parties on Wednesday, 29 May 2019, all dismissed employees will be reinstated at Mototolo Mine and will report for duty by Friday, 31 May 2019," Amplats said on Thursday.
"In terms of the agreement, the union has accepted that the proposed medical aid meets the requirement of the Section 197 transfer."
Section 197 of the Labour Relations Act deals with the transfer of a business and the rights of employees affected by such a transaction. It stipulates that unless otherwise agreed, the new employer is automatically substituted in the place of the old employer in respect of all contracts of employment in existence immediately before the date of transfer.
Amplats said while the no work, no pay principle would be applied for the duration of the strike, the agreement also made provision for employees to earn back their lost income within the next four months through working additional shifts and to make up for lost production.
"We are pleased that we have been able to reach a mutually acceptable outcome through negotiations," CEO Chris Griffith said. "Our priority is now to safely restore the mine to full production as quickly as it is practical to do so."