Reuters reports that, with Sibanye Gold having initiated talks with unions about cutting jobs at its loss-making Cooke 4 Operations, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has vowed to fight any reductions.  

The union, which has the lion's share of membership in the gold sector, called on the mining minister to stop the “drastic action” of layoffs.  It said in a statement:  “The NUM does not want to see mineworkers being retrenched.  We will engage Sibanye Gold.”  According to Sibanye's CE of gold operations, Wayne Robinson, the losses at Cooke 4 threatened the viability of the other three Cooke operations.  Sibanye employs 1,700 permanent workers at Cooke 4 and about 7,000 workers at all four Cooke operations.  A previous round of talks in November 2014 had led to some job cuts and a new plan to revamp the mine, but the operation was still losing money, Robinson said.

• Read this report by Zandi Shabalala in full at Business Report
• Read the NUM’s press statement at Cosatu Today

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page