Mining Weekly reports that trade union Solidarity said in a statement on Monday that it had been informed by Lonmin that the platinum producer was planning to reduce its workforce by 1,139 workers before Christmas.  

According to Solidarity, Lonmin said the platinum sector was under pressure owing to low platinum prices and rising costs that necessitated retrenchments.  Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis said the union would do everything in its power to prevent the retrenchments.  He added that, with the announcement of the current retrenchment processes and an indication that a next phase of retrenchments would follow, Lonmin had to reflect on its tactics of constantly creating job insecurity and uncertainty regarding trade union representation among its workers.

• Read this report in full at Mining Weekly
• Read too, Lonmin confirms over 1,000 jobs at risk as market pressures intensify, at Miningmx
• Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page