[miningmx.com] – ANGLOGOLD Ashanti said it would assess its options following a Labour Court decision today which found in favour of reinstating 579 miners at its Vaal Reefs [Moab Khotsong] property.
The miners, who are members of the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU), were unfairly dismissed by the gold producer in 2013 following a dispute over Saturday pay, the Labour Court’s Justice Lagrange found.
“I did find that the case was probably an unfair dismissal, and procedures were not followed by the employer,’ Justice Legrange is quoted to have said in statement that was published on AMCU’s website.
AngloGold must reinstate the workers within a period of two weeks from the judgement and that they should be paid back 12 months wages, AMCU said in its statement. The miners were unemployed more than two years ago, however.
“AngloGold Ashanti notes the ruling by Justice Lagrange of the Labour Court concerning the dismissal of employees who participated in an April 2013 strike at Moab Khotsong that was accompanied by acts of intimidation and violence, including the serious assault of at least one employee,” AngloGold said in a statement.
“The company is studying the detail of the judgment with a view to determine its options,” it added.
“AMCU legal representatives Sian Collet addressed the members outside Labour Court and said they need to wait for announcement from the union’s head office as to when they could resume work,” said an AMCU statement.
