DiamondCorp’s workers down tools at Lace mine in South Africa

The Southern African diamond development and exploration company, DiamondCorp said that members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) employed at its Lace diamond project, in South Africa, commenced a strike action.
It said in a statement posted on its website that the matter in dispute was “management's refusal to employ two full-time salaried shop stewards”.
The company said although the strike was legal and protected under the South African Labour Relations Act, the “no work, no pay” rule would apply.
"Management is disappointed that AMCU leaders have decided to encourage AMCU members at Lace into industrial action which in the end provides no financial benefits to the mine workforce but is instead self-serving only to the union leadership,” said DiamondCorp chief executive Paul Loudon.
“Management's position is clear: a mine development project of less than 260 workers does not require and cannot afford two full-time shop stewards. We feel sorry for the hardship this action will cause for the Lace workers involved and their families."
DiamondCorp said until such time as the strike ends, development tunnelling in the Upper K4 mining block and processing of development kimberlite would continue with non-AMCU members.
Contractors installing the underground conveyor belt system are not affected by the strike, it said.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished