Houndé Gold: “We intend to respect our commitments to the letter” Dixit Souleyman Boly, Country Director of Endeavor Mining

2024-03-12 10:18:36

• About the mood swing of the mine workers

• A report detailing the conditions for resuming activities has been signed

• The points of consensus covered four subjects

L’Faso Economist: In mid-January, workers at the Houndé mine began a riot which interrupted the mine’s activities. What were they demanding?

Souleyman Boly, Country Director of Endeavor Mining : On January 21, the mining company Houndé Gold Operation (HGO), belonging to the Endeavor Mining group, faced a mood swing, involving some of its staff and agents of its subcontracting companies working on site. The latter, without notice or authorization, interrupted mine activities by preventing non-striking employees from accessing their workplace.

A few days after the start of the work interruption, HGO management received a platform of demands making a certain number of requests, mainly relating to a modification of the work rotation cycle and a change of personnel within of the mine management.

This movement concluded at the end of a conciliation procedure with a resumption of activities which was effective 12 days after the strike, the time for the damage inventory and inspections.

You have referred the matter to the Bobo-Dioulasso labor court, which issued an interim order ordering action to put an end to the disturbances within Houndé Gold Operation (HGO). Were activities able to resume?

I would first like to recall the reasons which motivated the referral to the court. In addition to the unlawful strike and the illegal occupation of the premises, certain sufficiently serious isolated acts presented a risk to the security of our personnel and our installations, in particular thefts, willful damage to property, and threats made against certain mine managers. With full responsibility, we therefore appealed to the law by appealing to the high court on January 26, which ordered the cessation of disturbances to public order and the departure of the strikers from the site. This court decision was an important step in resolving this crisis.

At the same time, HGO management began discussions with staff representatives and all stakeholders to study the demands made and find a positive outcome to the situation. 1^is February, a report detailing the conditions for resumption of activities was signed by staff representatives, the coordination of socio-professional and youth bodies of Houndé and the management of HGO.

We would like to express our gratitude to all stakeholders at the national and local levels, our supervisory ministry, civil society organizations, as well as the administrative and customary authorities who have been involved in facilitating the return to work.

What are the points of consensus?

The points of consensus covered four topics.

First, in the context of the negotiations, the minutes recall that the examination of the points of demands must take place within the framework of the company’s dialogue bodies.

On the subject of rotations, HGO management has undertaken to examine a rearrangement of so-called ‘7/7’ rotations, i.e. 7 days worked and 7 days off, while respecting the provisions provided for in the Burkinabè labor code.

The third point of consensus provides for the supply of water in plastic packaging by local companies managed by women from Houndé, while waiting for a lasting solution to be found in accordance with our corporate policy ‘Towards zero plastic waste, effective since January 2023 across the entire Endeavor Mining group.

Finally, HGO management has undertaken not to carry out collective or targeted dismissals solely because of the days of absence following the work stoppage. Indeed, in accordance with the mine’s internal regulations, an unjustified absence from work could be punishable by dismissal for serious misconduct, which we waived in the minutes in a spirit of appeasement. However, this does not exclude all other sanctions, relating to individual acts not linked to the work stoppage and punishable by disciplinary sanctions.

Are there any demands submitted that have not found consensus? If so, which ones and what are the difficulties encountered in the search for solutions?

All the demands expressed by our employees were examined and commitments were made and mentioned in the minutes.

The subcontracting companies, some of whose employees took part in the mood, also initiated a dialogue allowing them to reach agreements on their main demands.

What are the alternatives and commitments made to end the crisis?

Throughout the period of the mood movement, Endeavor Mining called for dialogue between all stakeholders, in particular involving national and local administrative, religious and customary authorities in discussions with striking employees.

We intend to respect our commitments to the letter. We renew our strong attachment to the dialogue mechanisms that exist in our company and respect for the principles in force in terms of social dialogue. We attach great importance to the well-being of our employees and colleagues who through their efforts have made Endeavor Mining a leader in the global mining industry. We will spare no effort to maintain the cohesion of our teams and deal with any inclination of certain individuals likely to jeopardize our work tools and the interests of all our employees. Finally, I would like to remind you that the Houndé mine also belongs to the State and the communities of Houndé, so we must do everything we can to preserve it and continue to make it a vector of economic and social development.o

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Socio-economic contribution of the mine from Houndé to Burkina Faso

«AThroughout 2023, Endeavor Mining continued its social actions at its two sites of activity in Burkina Faso, in Houndé and Mana. Our contribution to the socio-economic development of the country is sustainable; it comes in three parts.

Economic first, since we contribute more than 195 billion FCFA to the State budget, in terms of taxes, royalties, fees and dividends paid in 2022. In terms of job creation then, since I remind you that 96% of the 2,200 people (including direct employees of the Houndé mine and those of subcontractors) are Burkinabè and that almost 90% of our purchases of goods and services are made from more than 300 suppliers Burkinabè. But also social, in particular through our contribution of more than 8 billion FCFA under the mining fund for local development (FMDL), which will be used to finance local development projects in sectors as strategic as education, health, urban planning or road infrastructure development.

Beyond the FMDL, the Houndé mine is actively engaged in social actions aimed at the resilience and empowerment of local communities, with an expenditure of more than 200 million FCFA in 2023. These projects include support for agricultural intensification, the establishment of poultry and cattle, sheep and goat fattening projects and support was provided to women’s income-generating activities,” said Mr. Boly.o