[miningmx.com] – IMPALA Platinum (Implats) was ‘quietly optimistic” an end to the crippling 21-week strike at its Rustenburg premises was in sight after the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU) agreed to take an improved basic wage offer by producers to its members today.
Johan Theron, spokesman for Implats, said his company, as well as Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and (Lonmin), had provided an increase in the total basic offer that allows AMCU to weight a wage deal in favour of entry-level workers.
An ‘in-principle’ undertaking was agreed with Joseph Mathunjwa, president of AMCU, who is set to address a mass meeting at Implats’ premises today, the platinum producers said in a statement to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange today.
The companies said they expected feedback from the AMCU on June 13, but more details are likely to emerge later today on the success of the latest round of talks. “I am quietly optimistic because of severity of where we are and what has been lost by people,” said Theron.
According to Bloomberg News, citing AMCU treasurer Jimmy Gama, the details of the improved offer are a R1,000 increase for the lowest paid workers in the first and second year compared to a R580 and R680 offer in years one and two previously.
For years three to five, some R950 per month increase would be offered compared to a staggered increase previously of R750 in year three, R840 in year four and R900 in year five, said Bloomberg News.
“We agreed to take things we had worked on at the Labour Court and with the minister (Nogako Ramatlhodi) to employees in a fair way, and to allow members to decide one way or another,” said Theron.
“But it is important how it is pitched and how they [the members] react to them. There’s a mass meeting with employees as we speak,” he said.
The offer that AMCU may accept boils down to an increase in the sum provided to basic wages. “We have agreed to put more on the table and now he [Mathunjwa] has to find a way forward.
“He can put more basic in for lower level guys. We are not giving precise details as yet because there’s no detail on deal,” said Theron.
According to a report by Reuters, shop stewards are urging Mathunjwa to sign the deal.
“This union has worked. We want this money. Sign Mathunjwa!” one steward was quoted by Reuters to have said.
Mineweb tweeted a note citing a producer spokesperson who said that the new wage deal, if accepted, would have a three year horizon instead of the five years required by the platinum companies.
