Union declares dispute with Xstrata Alloys

[miningmx.com] — SOUTH Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) declared a dispute with Xstrata Alloys on Thursday after they disagreed on a recognition agreement.

NUM regional secretary William Mabapa said the dispute with
Xstrata Alloys’s eastern mines at the Thorncliff shaft outside
Burgersfort was declared with the Commission for Conciliation,
Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Limpopo.

“There is a total collapse of human resource systems at Xstrata
and we hope the CCMA will assist,” he said.

This was after the company terminated the union’s recognition
agreement due to declining membership but failed to provide proof
of the decline to the union.

“If the CCMA fails due to the arrogance displayed by Xstrata,
then they must give us a certificate to strike as a matter of
urgency.”

The NUM said the company was “campaigning” for another union.

Xstrata Alloys corporate affairs manager Songezo Zibi said the
company had just been informed about the dispute and would “study
it and communicate a response” in due course.