COSATU to Protest Mass Dismissals of Mineworkers in South Africa

Mineworkers in South Africa are demanding better pay and working conditions. On September 12, 2012 unrest spread further throughout the platinum and gold sectors., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Cosatu to protest 'trick' of mass dismissals at mines

The Congress of the South African Trade Unions says it will hold a protest action against the dismissal of illegally striking mineworkers.

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23 Oct 2012 07:46 - Sapa

If a union is deregistered it is rendered impotent because employers can ignore it.

"In the coming weeks we will be engaged in a massive mobilisation of workers throughout the economy to engage in solidarity protests in support of the workers' demands in the mining industry," said Cosatu spokesperson Norman Mampane in a statement on Monday.

The trade union federation said it was disgusted and angered by the "mass dismissals" of mineworkers engaged in unprotected strikes.

"We are aware that some mining companies have opportunistically been using such a fragile trick to cold heartedly dismiss workers without paying them retrenchment packages that they would have been required to pay."

Mampane called on mining companies to reinstate workers that had already missed the ultimatums instructing miners to return to work.

"And we also call for the restoration in full of all the benefits that accrue to these workers as though they were never dismissed."

He said: "If the mining bosses do not accede to this demand, the totality of the capitalist class will face the full might of organised workers and also will face stiff resistance in every corner of the economy." – Sapa