Maravi

Mopani Copper Mine to lay off 571 workers

Mopani Copper Mine to lay off 571 workers
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Monday, February 02, 2009 3:22:42 AM

MOPANI Copper Mine is today expected to lay off about 571 workers in a bid to cut down production costs in view of the fall in metal prices.

Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) general secretary Oswald Munyenyembe disclosed in an interview yesterday that about 215 of the workers that would lose their jobs were from Nkana Mine while the rest were from Mufulira Mine.

“They are saying that they want to bring down production costs because of the low metal prices,” said Munyenyembe. “As a union, there is very little that we can do. We have talked to the government and we have talked to Mopani and we have said this is not the best way to cut production costs. We could have looked at other avenues, but Mopani insisted that they will cut the jobs.”

Mopani Copper Mine management was not available for comment by press time.

Recent estimates indicate that over 3,000 jobs have so far been lost in the mines owing to tumbling copper prices resulting from the current global economic meltdown. It is thought that many more jobs from the mines and other supporting sectors are likely to be lost in the short term as the global economic situation worsens.

Labels: JOBLOSSES, MCM

posted by MrK @ 3:23 AM