BMWU appeals to Boko

In a statement, the union said it was committed to working with the new administration and Parliament on poverty eradication, economic recovery, trade and investment, and respect and fulfilment of workers’ rights in the mining industry. The mineworkers said Boko’s administration should also prioritise the payment of outstanding soft-landing benefits to former BCL workers. T

he payments were a sore point between the BMWU and the previous administration, as mineworkers claimed the government had reneged on a commitment to pay soft-landing benefits to workers who were axed from BCL. The copper and nickel mine fired about 5,000 at its liquidation in 2016.

At the time, BCL was wholly owned by the government. Mineworkers also said in the first 100 days, the Office of the President needs to address looming retrenchments in the mining sector, petitions lodged with OP on the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme, BCL housing, localisation, 12-hour shift as well as repatriation of capital by multinational companies. The BMWU said it was seeking its first engagement with Boko through the appropriate structures.