Job Losses Looming at Mopani

Mopani Copper Mines is on the verge of another mass retrenchment of employees over alleged high production costs and low copper prices.

The global mining firm has entered into talks with the Mine Workers Union over the looming crisis with job losses cited as the easiest solution.

Mopani Copper Mines had undertaken a mine audit which revealed that it was making loses due to high costs of production.

The Mine Workers of Zambia has expressed concern with the desire to downsize the workforce by the mining firm.

“We have been told that they want to retrench workers because production costs are high. Off course as unions we are still engaging them because this will come with a negative impact our members.  The situation doesn’t seem to be okay as it looks from the outside, Mopani looks like they are resolved to reduce the workforce,” One of the Union officials disclosed.

But when contacted Mopani Copper Mines Employee Relations Manager George Mayeya said the unions are being engaged to find possible way reducing workforce as a result of a high production costs.

He said the discussions are exploring various options among them voluntary separation.

“We have been engaging with a view to discussing the labour operationalization process that we are undertaking; we had a meeting last Friday, we are looking at voluntary separation and early retirement. We want to use that in order to reduce the numbers. Basically as at now in terms of unit cost of production, our unit has been above the selling unit of copper. We want to address that unit cost to acceptable levels,” he stated.