The strike at the Houndé mine, which has been going on since January 21, must now end after a provisional court ruling called for the “expulsion” of demonstrators from the site.
The strike, deemed “illegal” and “unplanned,” brought production at Endeavor’s second-largest gold mine to a standstill, with workers striking and blocking roads in and out of the mine, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. website. It’s unclear why the workers decided to strike.
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Endeavor has not yet received the list of grievances “that made the strike possible,” the memo said. Despite efforts to end the strike, including Burkina Faso’s mining ministry sending a delegation to the mine to “facilitate discussions between workers and the company,” no solution could be reached ahead of the court ruling.
A new internal memo regarding the court ruling, also obtained by Bloomberg, warns that any workers who refuse to vacate premises and end the “illegal occupation of the workplace and its surroundings” will face fines or further action.
Endeavor Mining is off to a rocky start in 2024. On January 4, the company announced the sacking of chief executive Sébastien de Montessus over alleged “irregular payment orders” totaling nearly $6 million (£4.71 million). De Montessus also faces multiple accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct, which he denies.
Despite the disruption caused by the strike, Endeavor Mining continues to target production at its Houndé mine this year at 260,000-290,000 ounces.
