NUM fights to save diamond mining jobs

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is fighting to save jobs after Petra Diamond Mine issued notices to retrench 468 workers at Finsch and Cullinan mines. 

Petra Diamond attributes the market downturn to global conditions like China’s economic slowdown and the rise of lab-grown diamonds. Additionally, the diamond mining company says there is debt refinancing, operational underperformance, cost reduction and restructuring as some of the reasons for the retrenchments.

But the NUM, an IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, is not convinced by the company’s arguments. “The NUM believes these justifications are pretexts to sacrifice workers and shield executives from accountability for operational failures. A counterproposal submitted by the NUM, designed to save the company six million rand (US$328,525) and avert retrenchments, was summarily rejected by Petra Mine management,” said Masibulele Naki, NUM chief negotiator in the diamond sector.

etra diamonds Other diamond mining companies that are retrenching workers include De Beers, which has given notice to 308 workers at Venetia Mine. Further, the union is calling for urgent social dialogue that will include the Minerals Council of South Africa, diamond mining companies, the government and labour to address the crisis facing the country’s diamond industry.