Some strikers at MOZAL return to work

A strike at the huge MOZAL aluminium smelting plant on the outskirts of Mozambique's capital Maputo is showing signs of weakening with several dozen strikers returning to work, reports said on Tuesday. A company spokesman was quoted as saying so far about 60 workers, who protested against their dismissal notices, had been interviewed and readmitted to the factory. The 60 men readmitted, plus the 275 or so MOZAL employees who did not go on strike and 60 skilled South African workers brought in under MOZAL's contingency plans, are keeping the smelter operating at normal production levels, the company said. MOZAL is currently operating under an emergency regime of two 12-hour shifts a day, rather than three eight-hour shifts.