Unprotected industrial action at Anglo American Platinum’s mototolo mine
20 May, 2019
The General Industrial Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) served a strike notice on Anglo American Platinum (AAP) at Mototolo Mine on Thursday 9 May 2019. This followed a dispute declared by GIWUSA at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), in which the union alleged that the changes AAP made regarding employees’ medical scheme, following the purchase of the mine from Glencore in November 2018, represented a unilateral change in employees’ conditions of service. This is despite AAP having offered a medical scheme (Platinum Health) with similar benefits.
On Friday 10 May, Anglo American Platinum was granted an interim court interdict against any strike action by GIWUSA at Mototolo Mine. Despite this interdict, GIWUSA employees embarked on an unprotected strike on Sunday 12 May, thereby defying the court order and Anglo American Platinum’s communication to employees to not embark on an unprotected strike. Anglo American Platinum has appealed to GIWUSA to end the unprotected strike and for striking employees to return to work. These requests have been ignored and AAP has therefore been left with no option but to dismiss about 50% of Mototolo Mine’s underground workforce.
Dismissed employees have until 21 May to appeal Anglo American Platinum’s decision. Anglo American Platinum is disappointed by the conduct of the union and its members at a time in which socio-economic pressures continue to detrimentally impact the sector and employment is so scarce.
The impact on production has been minimal thus far. Anglo American Platinum is exploring options to ensure that Mototolo Mine recommences full production as soon as practically possible.