More than 600 workers who were fired from Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) for participating in an unprotected strike have until Tuesday to appeal their dismissals.
Amplats says it was left with no choice but to sack them after they violated a court interdict and refused to return to work.
General Industrial Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) Mametlo Sibiya says, “The mine was taken over by Anglo Platinum sometime late last year and they became the majority of our shareholders with the managing rights from Glencore. It was supposed to be a take-over of business as a going concern and I think legally the mine has maintained that, but what our members have been arguing is that there has been a number of changes in terms of conditions of employment which legally do not have to be. The business has been taken over as a going concern, now mine workers are saying if it is really a take-over of business as a going concern there shouldn’t be any changes.”
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