The Congress of South African Trade Unions calls Sibanye Stillwater management to halt its plans to retrench workers at Lonmin and consider other options short of obliterating the worker’s livelihoods. This country is facing serious economic challenges and we expect all social partners to act in a way that is helpful to the cause of restarting the economy and reducing poverty. Sibanye Stillwater should hold proper and meaningful consultation with relevant unions with the intention to save jobs and not just fulfil retrenchments conditions

The fact that 5 270 worker’s livelihoods are at stake in a country that is already dealing with 40% real unemployment is scandalous. COSATU reiterates its call for a moratorium on retrenchments and for a proper strategy to be developed to save jobs and help workers who are victims of economic stagnation and skils dislocation.

It is not acceptable that companies that are still enjoying tax breaks, with the corporate tax having been reduced from 28% to 34% seven years ago, are still retrenching thousands of workers. Department of Labour needs to amend the labour law because the current law is very generous to firms or capital because the re-skilling of workers is optional. We need to change our labour and tax laws in order to address negative effects of technology on labour and on consumers.

Issued by COSATU
 
Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)

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