Business Day
*AngloGold Ashanti issues ultimatum to workers* *Allan Seccombe, Business Day, Johannesburg, 22 October 2012*ANGLOGOLD Ashanti issued an ultimatum to workers engaged in a wildcat strike at its seven mines in South Africa to report for work by midday on Wednesday or be dismissed.
AngloGold follows Gold Fields and Gold One to issue final ultimatums to workers to end strikes that spread from the platinum sector and that have shut down mines, costing companies billions of rands in lost revenue.
AngloGold reported about 17,500 workers were still on strike after about 6,500 returned to their jobs on Monday at the Kopanang and Great Noligwa mines as well as metallurgical plants in the Vaal River region.
"Failure to return to work, in order that we resume normal operations, will result in the issue of notices of dismissal to any and all employees who have not complied with the ultimatum," Mark Cutifani, AngloGold CE, said on Monday.
"It is regretful that matters have reached this stage, with job losses now being threatened and livelihoods for thousands of families being placed at risk."
AngloGold has had all its South African mines shut for a month, losing 32,000oz of gold a week.
Through the Chamber of Mines, AngloGold, Gold Fields and Harmony Gold have submitted a proposal to the unions to address the wages packages of the lowest earners of the underground workforce.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) took that proposal to its members over the weekend and it will give feedback to the three companies and the chamber on Monday.
Gold Fields has dismissed 1,500 workers who did not report for duty last week and Gold One has fired more than 1,000 workers from its Ezulwini mine. In the platinum sector, Anglo American Platinum has fired 12,000 people at its Rustenburg mines for engaging in an unprotected strike.
"Employees at the balance of the operations appear to have rebuffed these efforts at resolution," AngloGold said on Monday. Those returning to work by midday on Wednesday will receive the improved wage package offered last week.
"Meanwhile, conditions of the ore bodies and underground infrastructure across these ultra-deep operations have continued to deteriorate, raising the risk that portions of these mines will be sterilised and jobs permanently lost," it said, adding it needed to break the strike and return operations to normality.
*From: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/labour/2012/10/22/anglogold-ashanti-issues-ultimatum-to-workers*
** ** -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
<<inline: BusinessDay.gif>>
