Gold One Mine Dismisses Over 400 Workers Amidst Controversy
The Gold One Modder East operation in Springs has taken a grim turn as the mine confirms the dismissal of over 400 workers.
The job losses are a consequence of an illegal strike that occurred last year, triggering a series of disputes and incidents.
The Gold One Mine has fired 400 workers.
The dispute, related to organizing rights at the mine in Springs, initially resulted in over 500 workers not resurfacing from an underground shaft.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) characterized the situation as a hostage incident
However The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) labeled it a voluntary sit-in.
The medical exit schedule, containing the names of 401 workers, has been obtained by Eyewitness News.
By lawt he mine is obligated to conduct a physical examination within 30 days of dismissal.
The mine had instituted disciplinary hearings for all workers involved in the labor dispute at the end of the previous year.
Despite initially attributing the situation to a hostage scenario involving AMCU-affiliated workers, the mine held all workers underground accountable.
They are accused of staging a wildcat strike, jeopardizing lives, and incurring substantial financial losses for the company.
The labor dispute took a tragic turn when an in-house investigator, probing the matter, was fatally shot near his home.
Another official suffered severe injuries during the second hostage drama underground.
While the mine has sent text messages scheduling medical exit exams, some workers claim they remain uninformed about the dismissals.
What we can learn from the Gold One Mine strike
The aftermath of the illegal strike continues to unfold, with legal and ethical questions surrounding the dismissals and the broader labor dispute at Gold One Modder East.