Workers of the Gold Ridge Mining Limited on Central Guadalcanal have issued a 14-days strike notice, demanding the removal of the company's general manager Keith Nielson.
The Solomon Islands National Union of Workers issued the notice late yesterday afternoon on behalf of the workers.The workers are claiming that under the leadership of Mr Nielson, local workers of the company have been exposed to unsafe and dangerous work practices and environment.
This demand relates to the handling and disposal of cyanide by local employees without safety equipment.
The workers are also claiming that Mr Nielson had continuously and unlawfully dismissed workers without good reasons.
They are also claiming that Mr Nielson and his management displayed racial discrimination, intimidation, threat, physical assault and disrespect to local employees and landowners.
When contacted today about the notice and claims against him, Mr Nielson said he would not make any comments at this stage, but rather leave the matter to the company's legal representatives.
The 14-days strike notice lapses on April 2.
The National Union of Workers has also advised Gold Ridge Mining Limited that a further two weeks extension of the same notice is also in force, to cover employees performing jobs legally classified as essential services.
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