More job cuts are inevitable in the mining industry, and it's unlikely those jobs will ever be replaced. With the industry bleeding 1200 to 1500 jobs a month, according to Connie Prinsloo, Solidarity's deputy general secretary for mining, workers should not expect to be rehired, as happened previously when the commodity cycle improved. In previous commodity cycles, mining companies retrenched in the downturns and rehired workers when the economic environment allowed. Some workers at AngloGold Ashanti, which has begun a retrenchment process, spoke recently of being retrenched and rehired two or three times over the past 20 to 30 years. This is no surprise as mining companies put some operations on care and maintenance when commodity prices are weak and ramp up production when prices turn around. However, in the past five years, during which the industry has retrenched about 14% of its workforce - 70000 workers - mines placed on care and maintenance have rarely reopened. Prinsloo said...
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