Amcu to march to Union Buildings on March 20

The Association for Mining and Construction Union (Amcu) says its 20 000 members will march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on March 20 to protest the mass job losses in the mining industry and other socio-economic issues.

The protest will affect staff attendance at various mines across the country‚ with marches planned in Polokwane‚ Durban‚ Welkom and Pretoria.

Although the strike will be protected‚ workers stand to lose income on the day as the “no work‚ no pay” rule will apply.

Amcu applied for the strike certificate at the National Economic Development and Labour Council in 2017.

The union’s president Joseph Mathunjwa said that “if we don’t do something quickly‚ it looks like more is set to come”‚ in reference to job losses in the mining industry‚ which were recorded at 50 000 between 2012 and 2015.

Mathunjwa was briefing reporters in Johannesburg on Wednesday‚ where he added that the union will also be demanding that the Department of Mineral Resources should enforce stricter measures to ensure the implementation of social and labour plans by mines.

Amcu will also soon start wage negotiations with employers in the coal industry.

Although Mathunjwa would not disclose the union’s demands ahead of the talks‚ he said the union would take into consideration some of the economic pressures workers are facing‚ such as the VAT increase announced in February.