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BL Premium reports that coal producer Exxaro is the latest company to face a class action for allegedly failing to implement the necessary safety measures to protect coal miners from contracting illness linked to their work conditions.
This will be the third in a series of class actions against coal-mining companies filed by human rights lawyer Richard Spoor “in ongoing efforts to seek justice for workers facing unacceptable conditions within the coal mining industry”. Similar class actions have been filed against South32, BHP, Seriti Power, Anglo American and Thungela. Spoor intends to file similar proceedings against Glencore before year-end. The application for certification of a class action against Exxaro, filed by Spoor in the Gauteng High Court last week, “seeks accountability for alleged breaches of legal duties, negligence, and inadequate safety measures that have caused long-term damages to workers’ health and lives”. The legal action seeks compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and the pain and suffering endured by affected coal miners. Motley Rice, one of the largest US plaintiff litigation firms, is acting as a consultant in the case. The companies named in the application must now decide if they want to oppose the idea of a class action.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Denene Erasmus at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page