BMWU angry with BCL management
Ryder Gabathuse | Thursday March 3, 2016 17:32
BMWU general secretary, Mbiganyi Ramokate told Mmegi yesterday that he was disappointed that the BCL mine managing director, Dan Mahupela chose to address the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council (SPTC) on the impending closure of the Phoenix open pit at Tati Nickel Mining Company (TNMC) and of some loss-making shafts in Selebi-Phikwe without informing the union.
“We were in fact, shocked to read from the newspapers that there was a move to close some loss-making shafts in Selebi-Phikwe as out of the four operating shafts, the BCL MD is quoted as saying that it’s only the Selebi North operation that is profitable,” said the visibly worried Ramokate. The BMWU general secretary insisted that it was untidy for Mahupela to make such an address, instead of notifying the union as stakeholders about the impending developments.
Ramokate said his union intends seeking a slot to address the SPTC about their concerns and the latest in their relationship with the BCL mine management.
He said it was unfortunate that the politicians did not see a need to involve the BMWU so that the civic leaders know their side of the story.
“Morale is now very low, and in fact our members are gripped by fear of losing jobs after reading stories in the newspapers. Is that how a relationship between the employer and employee has to be?” wondered Ramokate.
In the last BCL mine/BMWU meeting, the MD did not raise a plan, which includes a possibility of closing the TNMC Phoenix mine and some loss-making shafts in Selebi-Phikwe.
“Whilst in his view closing the mine shafts and closing of the Phoenix mine are the best options to remain afloat, our concern as representatives of the workers is his modus operandi,” said Ramokate wondering why as stakeholders they were never informed about the impending actions.
Ramokate is even worried that last Friday the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) was cancelled because the BCL management claimed that the BMWU responded late to the mine’s notification for a brief.
“The BCL mine is apparently looking for an opportunity to convince people outside the mine about their troubles instead of notifying the miners about internal issues.”
BMWU is now worried that the relationship they have with the BCL mine management is not a cordial one and “there is no transparency.”
Addressing the SPTC full council meeting last week Thursday, Mahupela said the BCL mine is reviewing operations of its four shafts as part of the new cost cutting strategies, which include the closure of the Johannesburg office as well as the loss-making Phoenix mine at Tati.
Quizzed about the impending closure of the Phoenix mine, TNMC public relations manager, Tebogo Rapitseyane indicated that he was hamstrung to comment because he has only read about the alleged closure in the newspapers.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have any information suggesting the possible closure of the Phoenix mine at the moment. I just read about it,” Rapitsenyane said yesterday.