Wednesday, 20th July 2005 (3302 views)

Harmony Gold Mining Company and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) have come to an agreement that will greatly reduce the number of job losses.

After 60 days of negotiation, measures have been agreed to that will save around 7000 jobs that were at risk under the company’s restructuring process.

Chief Executive Bernard Swanepole has said:

"We are pleased to have successfully negotiated our way through what can only be described as a dramatic, difficult, but highly necessary process."

The NUM agreement, which aims to improve profitability without causing huge job losses, will be implemented from today until August 5.

According to a statement released by the company, job loss avoidance measures will include:

- the replacement of non-specialist contractors;

- the transfer of employees to other South African operations;

- the implementation of continuous operations (conops) in some areas.

The NUM's regional chairperson Tanki Malefane is apparently not completely happy with the deal, but is pleased that so many workers have remained in employment.

"We are not in the business of fighting battles for nothing, our core business is to defend and protect the jobs of our members," he said.

 

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