Up to 70% of Bayside jobs may be lost

[miningmx.com] – THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said about 70% of employees at BHP Billiton’s Bayside smelter – equal to 350 jobs – would be lost when the Australian miner proceeded with the facility’s shutdown.

BHP Billiton South Africa’s vice-president of communication and external affairs, Lulu Letlape, told BDLive however that no decision had been made on numbers. “There is no update on Bayside. There are still ongoing discussions and consultations with all interested parties,” she said.

Some of the jobs might migrate to BHP Billiton’s nearby Hillside smelter, and the parties were in discussions over possible voluntary separations and early retirement, head of organising and collective bargaining at Numsa, Stephen Nhlapo told BDLive. “We are still starting a process and the numbers are not yet clear,” he said.

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