MEDIA RELEASE
AMCU MAKES GOOD PROGRESS WITH RECOGNITION AT GOLD ONE
2024-01-10
Summary: The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has noted with concern the dismissal of more than 400 employees of Gold One’s Modder East Mine in Springs, Gauteng. Even though these employees are still members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), AMCU as reassured them that it will do its utmost to assist them while it is making good progress with gaining recognition at the Mine.
It came to the attention of AMCU that Gold One management had completed the disciplinary hearings of NUM members who participated in two underground sit-ins late last year, and that more than 400 of them have been dismissed. These protests were caused by frustration of employees who were forced to be members of the NUM by virtue of a closed shop agreement. A closed shop agreement is an agreement between an employer and the majority union, that all employees at a particular workplace or bargaining unit must belong to only that one trade union. Already in March of 2023, an overwhelming majority of the employees in the lower job grades expressed their wish to leave the NUM.
“Our hearts go out to these comrades – to lose their jobs in the beginning of the year, especially in this country with its high unemployment, is devastating news”, said AMCU HOD Organisational Development, Krister Janse van Rensburg
The Labour Court ruled in AMCU’s favour last year, and compelled the NUM to conduct a ballot in order to determine whether the employees still wished to be bound to the closed shop agreement which was concluded in 2012. However, the NUM appealed the Labour Court judgment and thereby delayed the termination of the closed shop agreement to 14 December 2023.
On 15 December 2023, a delegation from AMCU’s National Office and Johannesburg Central Regional Office met with Gold One management to hand over more than 1300 membership application forms and discuss the process to be followed in terms of the Labour Relations Act, in order for these employees to leave NUM and join AMCU. It was agreed that a membership verification would be done early in 2024.
“We have had confirmation that the CCMA [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration] will assist parties with the verification exercise tomorrow [11 January 2024], and we are confident that the process of AMCU concluding a recognition agreement with Gold One will proceed with speed”, said Janse van Rensburg.
AMCU has committed itself to using all possible avenues to assist and represent employees, even if they are members of the NUM, as members of the working class.
“Unfortunately, AMCU cannot do much until such time as we have locus standi as a recognised union at Gold One”, explained Janse van Rensburg. “We will, however, as soon as we are granted organisational rights, represent workers at internal appeal processes. We have also already referred unfair dismissals to the CCMA, and in terms of the CCMA Rules we have the right to represent these employees regardless of our status at the workplace”, he concluded.
433 words (excluding summary)
For interviews: Krister J van Rensburg (AMCU HOD Organisational Development)