Glencore to cut jobs amid ‘significant economic pressures’
This week Glencore initiated a retrenchment process at its Boshoek and Wonderkop Smelters in Rustenburg as well as the Rhovan Vanadium Operations near Bethanie and its Carbon Division in Emalahleni (Witbank).
Employees at these sites were handed section 189 letter informing them of their potential retrenchment. In a statement Glencore stressed that, “(retrenchment) is not a forgone conclusion”.
It invited workers to “engage on issues pertaining to the process, including all possible alternatives, appropriate measures to mitigate all effects of the process, possible redeployment and alternatives such as voluntary separation packages”.
The company will streamline and restructure supporting divisions within its Mining division at Rustenburg and Lydenburg Smelters, Head Office and Shared Services functions.
“We remain firmly committed to working collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders.
“Throughout this process, Glencore has maintained a transparent and inclusive approach, actively engaging with stakeholders, particularly its union leadership and its employees, and will continue to do so as part of its ongoing commitment to constructive dialogue and shared progress,” it stated.
Willie Venter, deputy general secretary of Solidarity, told Reuters that Glencore has already been hit hard with 10 of its 22 furnaces permanently or temporarily closed. He predicted that some 2,425 direct jobs and more than 17,000 indirect jobs will be affected by this retrenchment process.
