PMBR workers to take voluntary retrenchment

Most employees at the mainly state-owned Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) are expected to take voluntary retrenchment packages, trade union Solidarity says

"Only 25 employees of PBMR are likely to remain at the company to protect the intellectual property built up over the past decade," the union said in a statement.

A Section 189 notice for the retrenchment of nearly 800 employees at the company was issued to Solidarity in February.

That was followed by nearly five months of extensive consultations between trade unions, the employer and the government regarding alternatives to the termination of the multimillion-rand nuclear energy research project.

"The process has now almost been finalised, and although the best possible severance agreement has been negotiated for employees, the end of PBMR is a bitter time for the employees and South Africa," Solidarity said.

The research conducted there had placed South Africa at another level as far as nuclear power was concerned, and the extent of the loss caused by the termination of the project could not be determined at present, Solidarity said.

"The future simply lies in nuclear energy, and because of South Africa's current electricity problems it can really be regarded as one of the only solutions to the growing electricity needs and problems," said Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans.

Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan apparently had decide in August on the availability of funding for South Africa's nuclear industry, he said.

While the decision could possibly lead to a revival of the PBMR, Solidarity believed that the damage and loss of expertise resulting from the retrenchment process were irreversible.

"It would be a case of too little, too late as the majority of PBMR's scientists have already found other work since the start of the retrenchment process in February.

"They found greener pastures abroad, and their departure is a sad loss for South Africa," Kleynhans said.

Scientists had already accepted positions in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.

According to the union, under the severance agreement, retrenched employees would receive two and half weeks' salary for every completed year of service.

In addition, employees would receive a payout of R5000 for training, Solidarity said.

The PBMR was set up in 1999 to develop and market small-scale, high-temperature reactors both locally and internationally.