Underground miners continue with strike after ending their sit-in
"According to the management of the mine, the workers' demands now include that no employee should be dismissed for participating in the unprotected strike or breaching the court order."
DRIEKOP – It’s been two weeks since the underground operations had been suspended at the Dilokong’s ASA metal mine. Work was halted last month on October 23 when workers engaged in an illegal sit-in underground. The miners finally made their departure on October 27.
When Steelburger/Lydenburg News visited the troubled mine on Tuesday November 3, underground miners were still idling outside the premises.
In its press release the mine highlighted its disappointment at the actions of the workers.
“The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and its 253 members, embarked on an unprotected strike and underground sit-in at the mining operations last week.
They demanded, among others, that the mine retract pending disciplinary actions against the union’s shop stewards accused of misconduct.
“On October 26, the mine applied to the Labour Court for an order declaring the underground sit-in to be an unprotected strike action and directing the Num members to return to the surface and stop the unprotected strike.
“When the miners departed underground, they persisted with their unprotected strike action in breach of the court order and although they are not currently conducting a sit-in, they have persisted with their unprotected strike.
“According to the management of the mine, the workers’ demands now include that no employee should be dismissed for participating in the unprotected strike or breaching the court order.”
According to a press release this publication has received, the mine has issued a defensive (in response) lockout notice to Num and its members demanding, among other things, an unconditional return to work.
At the time of going to print, the board of directors and the union’s leaders were still in discussions in an effort to resolve the industrial action.
• Meanwhile a truck that was supposed to deliver goods at Dilokong was allegedly torched by the Ga Maroga residents on November 2.
The community joined the miners in their strike. They also stoned cars on the R37.
The miners and the community members said they wanted the Dilokong’s employee relations manager and the human resource manager to be sacked.
