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AMCU Members Strike at DiamondCorp's Lace Mine
Oct 26, 2014 5:45 AM
By Deena Taylor
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RAPAPORT... DiamondCorp reported that members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) employed at the company's Lace diamond mine in South Africa began strike action on October 23. The miner's are protesting management's refusal to employ two full-time salaried shop stewards at the project.
"The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration has granted AMCU a certificate for the strike, which means it is a legal and protected strike under the South African Labour Relations Act. However, the 'no work, no pay' rule will apply," the company stated.
AMCU is the majority union at the Lace mine.
"Management is disappointed that AMCU leaders have decided to encourage AMCU members at Lace into industrial action, which in the end provides no financial benefits to the mine workforce but is instead self-serving only to the union leadership," said Paul Loudon, DiamondCorp's CEO.
Loudon reiterated management's position that a mine development project of less than 260 workers doesn’t require and can't afford two full-time shop stewards.
The company stressed that until the strike action ends, non-AMCU members will continue development tunneling in the upper K4 mining block and processing of development kimberlite. Contractors installing the underground conveyor belt system were also not affected by the strike.
Meanwhile, police fired rubber bullets on October 24 to disperse miners blocking the main entrance of the mine, injuring four striking miners, Reuters reported. Another 16 were arrested on public violence charges, according to a police spokesman.
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Tags:
AMCU, Deena Taylor, DiamondCorp, diamonds, Lace Mine, Strike
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