More layoffs at Glencore: Thousands of jobs, families affected

Solidarity confirms two more retrenchment notices, putting more than a thousand jobs at risk. Glencore Operations South Africa has just issued two section 189 notices – one at the Rhovan mine and another at the company’s head office.

According to Riaan Visser, Deputy General Secretary for the Mining, Agriculture and Chemicals Sector at Solidarity, we are seeing a repeat of the same pattern that began with retrenchments at ArcelorMittal and continued with the closure of Assmang’s Beeshoek mine – only this time with mass retrenchments at Glencore.

According to the company, the reasons for the proposed retrenchments are the persistently weak market conditions, international overproduction and persistently low commodity prices, coupled with South Africa’s own structural crises such as extremely high electricity costs, carbon taxes, and a railway system that is simply no longer functioning.“

Glencore’s decision to end Rhovan’s ferrovanadium production and restructure the Alloys head office support services will leave hundreds of families without bread on the table,” says Visser.

“What we are seeing here is that South African workers are paying the price for the government’s policy mistakes and Eskom’s tariff explosion. Since 2008, electricity tariffs have increased – making the entire industry uncompetitive compared to countries where lower electricity costs and government support are the norm,” he adds.

Solidarity will attend the consultation processes under the supervision of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and will assist its members in both divisions with full legal and labour law support.

“We will explore all alternatives to limit job losses and ensure that, where jobs are cut, employees are treated fairly and decently. There are still dark times ahead. Without urgent improvements to government policy and infrastructure, thousands more jobs will be lost across the country,” warns Visser.

These latest notices follow news of other Glencore operations already under pressure. For Visser, it is clear that the survival of the sector is at stake, and the government’s failure to create a competitive operating environment is putting the future of tens of thousands of South African families at risk.

Solidarity 

Centurion