No labour agreements reached with AngloGold Ashanti yet – Solidarity

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Trade union Solidarity on Thursday said it would “do everything in its power” to ensure that as few jobs as possible are affected by AngloGold Ashanti’s plans to restructure.

It also refuted reports that an agreement had been reached by the gold miner and trade unions to save all 849 jobs affected by the company’s intended Section 189 retrenchment process.

The National Union of Mineworkers earlier this week reported that it had reached an agreement with the company to transfer employees to other business units or retrain them for other jobs; however, AngloGold at the time said negotiations were still ongoing.

Solidarity mining deputy general secretary Connie Prinsloo confirmed that the union had been actively engaged in meetings with AngloGold’s management this week and that no agreements had yet been reached. “Of course Solidarity will be glad for every job that can possibly be saved,” Prinsloo said.

Prinsloo further pointed out that, at this stage, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration had to appoint a commissioner to facilitate the retrenchment process. “We are waiting to learn who will be appointed to act as the facilitator. The facilitation process will commence once that has been done.”