Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has issued an ultimatum to striking workers, saying its employees were compelled to report for duty from Thursday evening. This follows the closure last week of its Rustenburg operations on grounds of intimidation and fears over safety, but it has since deemed conditions to have normalised sufficiently to resume work at its five major shafts in the region.
“The increase in police visibility and action has created an environment conducive for our employees to return to work and isolated incidents of intimidation and violence are being dealt with,” the company said in a statement issued yesterday (Wednesday).
“Given the authorities’ assessment that it is safe to go to work, the company is now left with no alternative but to declare those who have not returned to work to be participating in illegal industrial action...”
The company said that it had told its employees to return to work by the night shift on Thursday, failing which "legal avenues will be pursued”.
All of Amplats Rustenburg operations resumed with the morning shift on Tuesday. On Sunday the company confirmed that it was safe for employees to return to work. The Rustenburg smelting and other process operations were already operating at normal levels, but many mining employees were still to return to work.
“Given the current extraordinary circumstances, the company is making every effort to reassure employees that it is safe to return to work and is actively assisting and encouraging them to do so. In order to achieve full resumption of the operations at soon as possible, Anglo American Platinum is urging that all its employees return to work for their next shift and by no later than Wednesday, 19 September 2012 . Beyond this date, the company will have to initiate appropriate employee relations procedures for those employees who choose not to return to work.”
“Anglo American Platinum’s Rustenburg mining operations are already under considerable economic pressure and any further delays in returning to work will only increase the risk to the long term viability of these mines.
“The safety and security of our employees is of paramount importance to Anglo American Platinum and we urge employees to continue using formal and recognised engagement structures in place to address any concerns. “
