JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Labour union Solidarity on Thursday launched an emergency fund for employees of the financially stricken gold-mining company Pamodzi Gold.

Solidarity deputy general secretary Dirk Hermann announced the introduction of five supporting actions, the first of which food distribution.

Hermann said that the union’s Helping Hand Emergency Fund, which was managing the support process, had consulted with banks in an attempt to gain exemption from penalties relating to late payment or non-payment of debit orders, as a direct consequence of the late payment or non-payment of salaries.

The union was also assisting Pamodzi employees to find alternative work and ensuring that emotionally affected employees received trauma counselling.

Should Pamodzi Gold go into liquidation, the trade union was making plans to assist members with unemployment insurance claims.

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