Retrenchments at Ferroglobe now a reality

The retrenchment process at Ferroglobe Witbank has been concluded, and employees will be phased out over a period of several months, Solidarity announced 20 Oktober 2026.

Ferroglobe previously initiated a section 189 process due to the pressure of, among other things, high electricity costs on its operations. The process has been dragging on for some time, and the retrenchments are now proceeding.

According to Cornelius van Leeuwen, sector coordinator for the metal and engineering industries at Solidarity, the prolonged uncertainty has given way to a reality wherein employees will lose their jobs.

“The retrenchment process has been concluded, and employees’ positions are now definitely being affected. This is a very difficult situation for the employees and their families, who now face a loss of income,” says Van Leeuwen.

At the same time, Solidarity is concerned about the lack of clarity regarding a possible reduced electricity tariff for Ferroglobe.

“We understand that several parties are involved in this process and that the decision is not necessarily straightforward. However, in the interests of protecting jobs, we are calling for the necessary attention to be given to the process and for it to be concluded as soon as possible,” says Van Leeuwen.

Solidarity will continue engaging with the relevant stakeholders in an effort to protect jobs at Ferroglobe as much as possible.