INTERNECINE LABOUR DISPUTE
Labor dispute keeps 540 South African miners stuck undergroundBloomberg News | October 23, 2023
Stock image.
About 540 workers at Gold One International Ltd.’s Modder East mine have been prevented from returning to the surface by labor-union members after a dispute over recognition, according to a company spokesman.
Workers at the operation near Johannesburg were kept underground after the night shift ended by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, according to Jon Hericourt, a Gold One spokesman. “Last night we heard AMCU members prevented workers from coming back up,” he said.
For more than a decade, the company has identified the National Union of Mineworkers as the recognized labor group, Hericourt said. AMCU has claimed to meet the criteria needed to reach the status and threatened to strike in a court process that hasn’t been concluded, he said.
Jimmy Gama, an AMCU official, didn’t answer a call seeking comment.
Production is at a standstill as the company meets with labor and tries to gain access to the mine to help employees who have been injured in the dispute, Hericourt said.
(By Paul Burkhardt)
Stock image.
About 540 workers at Gold One International Ltd.’s Modder East mine have been prevented from returning to the surface by labor-union members after a dispute over recognition, according to a company spokesman.
Workers at the operation near Johannesburg were kept underground after the night shift ended by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, according to Jon Hericourt, a Gold One spokesman. “Last night we heard AMCU members prevented workers from coming back up,” he said.
For more than a decade, the company has identified the National Union of Mineworkers as the recognized labor group, Hericourt said. AMCU has claimed to meet the criteria needed to reach the status and threatened to strike in a court process that hasn’t been concluded, he said.
Jimmy Gama, an AMCU official, didn’t answer a call seeking comment.
Production is at a standstill as the company meets with labor and tries to gain access to the mine to help employees who have been injured in the dispute, Hericourt said.
(By Paul Burkhardt)
Over 500 gold miners held hostage at Gold-One mine in Springs
Story by Siyabonga Sithole •
Over 500 gold miners held hostage at Gold-One mine in Springs
© Provided by The Star
The DA has condemned the hostage situation which took place at the Gold One mine in Springs on Monday.
This comes after reports indicated that more than 500 miners were being held "hostage", allegedly by members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
It was reported that earlier in the day, members belonging to the union had downed tools underground, demanding that the employer recognise Amcu as the majority union.
The “SABC” reported that one person was injured after allegedly being attacked with a panga with the mine reporting that the miners were being held hostage underground.
Gold One mine's spokesperson Jon Hericourt told “Bloomberg” that at least 543 of their miners were being held hostage after they were prevented from coming up at the end of their shift on Sunday night.
Attempts to get comment from Amcu were still unsuccessful by the time of going to print. This is a developing story.
However, reacting to the news, the DA’s constituency head Ashor Sarupen said the party is deeply concerned over the safety of these miners who were being kept against their will.
“I am deeply concerned and appalled by the ongoing hostage situation at the GoldOne-Modder East mine, where approximately 543 miners are allegedly being held against their will.
“As a town built on mining, the safety and well-being of the mining community in Springs is critical, and all acts that threaten the lives and security of these miners are unacceptable,” Sarupen said.
Sarupen said the DA is calling for the immediate and safe release of all miners involved in this situation as well as for the union to co-operate with law enforcement authorities.
“It is crucial that those responsible for this illegal and dangerous act be held accountable. We expect law enforcement agencies to act swiftly in investigating and bringing those behind this incident to justice.
“We also call upon Amcu to co-operate fully with law enforcement authorities and facilitate the safe release of the miners,’ he said.
The DA has condemned the hostage situation which took place at the Gold One mine in Springs on Monday.
This comes after reports indicated that more than 500 miners were being held "hostage", allegedly by members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu).
It was reported that earlier in the day, members belonging to the union had downed tools underground, demanding that the employer recognise Amcu as the majority union.
The “SABC” reported that one person was injured after allegedly being attacked with a panga with the mine reporting that the miners were being held hostage underground.
Gold One mine's spokesperson Jon Hericourt told “Bloomberg” that at least 543 of their miners were being held hostage after they were prevented from coming up at the end of their shift on Sunday night.
Attempts to get comment from Amcu were still unsuccessful by the time of going to print. This is a developing story.
However, reacting to the news, the DA’s constituency head Ashor Sarupen said the party is deeply concerned over the safety of these miners who were being kept against their will.
“I am deeply concerned and appalled by the ongoing hostage situation at the GoldOne-Modder East mine, where approximately 543 miners are allegedly being held against their will.
“As a town built on mining, the safety and well-being of the mining community in Springs is critical, and all acts that threaten the lives and security of these miners are unacceptable,” Sarupen said.
Sarupen said the DA is calling for the immediate and safe release of all miners involved in this situation as well as for the union to co-operate with law enforcement authorities.
“It is crucial that those responsible for this illegal and dangerous act be held accountable. We expect law enforcement agencies to act swiftly in investigating and bringing those behind this incident to justice.
“We also call upon Amcu to co-operate fully with law enforcement authorities and facilitate the safe release of the miners,’ he said.
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