Mines shed 2 000 jobs in 2009 _ Union

According to the Central Statistics Office's Labour Statistics Report, an estimated 11 000 people were employed in the mining and quarrying industry by the end of 2008. With rentrenchment resulting from the recession, nearly all mines implemented staff rationalisation and retrenchment programmes, including voluntary separation and retirement, in an effort to stay afloat.

The departed mine workers have consequently left a hole in the BMWU's pockets due to the resultant loss of member subscriptions and other contributions.