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Militant unions to blame for Lonmin job cuts - Solidarity

Cape Town – Militant trade unions and their violent protests were the reason Lonmin [JSE:LON] was planning to cut a further 4 500 jobs, said trade union Solidarity on Friday.

This is in addition to the 1 355 planned job cuts that Lonmin has implemented.

READ: Lonmin says 6 000 jobs at risk in proposed restructuring

“We urge trade unions, who loudly boast their militant and revolutionary ideologies, to learn from this disastrous situation,” said Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis.

“This planned retrenchment process once again proves that strikes can rob innocent employees of their jobs,” he said.

Lonmin stated in an Article 189 retrenchment notice on Friday that the company will soon commence with a restructuring process, which will involve about 4 500 employees.

According to Lonmin, the reasons for the retrenchment process are the weakened metal price and the consequent closure of its Hossy shaft. The company also plans to put four of its shafts under care and maintenance.

“Last year’s unaffordable platinum agreement, which was reached after the five-month strike in the industry, contributed largely to the retrenchment process at Lonmin,” said Du Plessis.

He said Solidarity will participate in an urgent consultation process with the company to soften the impact of the retrenchments processes on its members and to limit the number of retrenchments to a minimum.

“Solidarity will also insist that the more or less 180 mechanical operators, who have not been working for the past four years because they refuse to go through the compulsory reskilling programme, are considered first in the retrenchment process,” he said. “These operators are protected by Amcu, who is protected by Lonmin out of fear for violent protest.”

“Lonmin is notorious for the violent strike in 2012 at its Marikana mine, during which 44 mine workers and innocent people died. Since then, labour relations have not stabilised.”

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