BDFM Online
Monday, November 20, 2006
DIAMOND giant De Beers should halt plans to retrench more than 800 workers and come to the table for more consultation, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said last week.
"The company should open up for consultation with the union since the intended extent of ret-renchment poses a challenge which affects the national question of joblessness and unemployment," said NUM general secretary Frans Baleni.
The NUM and De Beers met last Thursday to discuss the planned retrenchments and to establish the reasons why the firm did not inform the union of its intentions during a meeting four weeks ago.
Baleni said De Beers senior negotiator Wayne Smerdon described the firm's inability to inform the union of the retrenchments as a "mistake".
He said more than 600 workers who were retrenched last year were still unemployed and locked in a battle with De Beers on issues such as severance packages, social plans, medical exit examinations and housing.
To prevent a similar situation, the NUM deman-ded an immediate review of profitability productivity issues that had allegedly influenced the ret-renchments.
The NUM also called for a central forum made up of members of the union and the company to find ways to reduce the extent of retrenchments and soften its effect.
De Beers could not be reached for comment at the weekend. Sapa