Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – No employees reported for their day shifts at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine, near Carletonville, on Thursday, with the gold miner saying this is in retaliation for the suspension of Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) branch leadership who had encouraged an earlier go-slow at the mine.
Harmony's suspension of the branch leadership after the illegal industrial action came after only 25% of the workforce reporting for duty on Wednesday.
The go-slow was in response to disciplinary procedures against 40 employees, following an illegal sit-in at Kusasalethu in January, when around 1 700 employees staged a 48-hour wildcat underground sit-in.
“Management has sought an urgent meeting with the leadership of the AMCU to address this unprocedural/illegal industrial action, which may result in further disciplinary action and undermines the continued viability of the mine,” Harmony said in a statement.
“It is of great concern that there have been reports of intimidation of employees, as was the case in the actions in January,” said Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp, who urged workers to engage with management through the processes and procedures in place to deal with workplace disputes.