Tough Times at BMWU :: Mmegi Online

BMWU President Joseph Tsimako told a press conference at the President Hotel today that the union has seen its fortunes fall to worrying levels. A decline in union membership meant a decline in union finances.

Tsimako said that before the closure of the BCL Group mine, the number of BMWU members was estimated at 13,000. In some cases, after the closure of the BCL Group and the Mowana copper mine (Dukwi mine), they found their membership hovering around 8,000 with an all-time low of around 6,000 members.

Likewise, in addition to the union’s financial commitments, in monetary terms, dues dropped at one point from a stable 10 million pesos per year to a fragile 6 million pesos per year as the numbers continued to fall.

The BMWU chairman, however, was confident that as the mines continue to open up, they expect to recover from the decline they have suffered since 2016.

The BMWU is also concerned about health and safety issues at the Mupane gold mine, which was recently taken over by new owner Hawks Mining Company. They were also concerned about the secret nature of the sale transaction.

According to Tsimako, Mupane has not handled health and safety issues well, saying some workers have been exposed for some time to the danger of inhaling harmful silica dust.

“We reported this matter to the Department of Mines inspection team and it seems there is no solution. At one point we even considered suing the mine for not taking care of the miners,” said Tsimako, who explained that the effects of silica dust might not show up now but at a later stage in miners’ lives.

It also gave the union leeway to challenge the sale deal of Mupane, which they said, despite the approval of the Consumer and Competition Authority (CCA), was unhappy with some related issues. on sale.

Their main argument is that the sale transaction was not in the public interest. They strongly believe that the transaction does not comply with the main regulatory regimes which would normally qualify it. The BMWU is concerned that the endorsement is flawed and flawed.

They added that the CCA appears to support public interest intervention for economic benefits.

Tsimako also expressed concern about Mupane’s safety record, noting that just recently a minor died in the line of duty, which also raised concerns about safety standards.

The BMWU has recently been grappling with issues of recognition of the union by some companies, citing the example of Makoro Bricks in Palapye and De Wet based in Rasesa. The union has promised to see all its challenges through to the end.

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