[miningmx.com] — THE National Union of Mineworkers (Num) plans talks on Wednesday with negotiators at Impala Platinum to head off a strike over wages that could impact global prices of the precious metal.
The talks with the world’s second largest platinum producer come after unionised gold and coal workers reached deals this week for 7.5% to 10% wage hikes to end strikes that dented output in the global mining power.
The platinum sector talks start at 17:00 and are likely to continue through the night, said Eddie Majadibodu, chief negotiator at the Num, the biggest union in the mining sector.
“The negotiations are getting very tough now, so it is difficult to say where the talks will go,” he said.
The Num, seeking a 14% raise for its 26,000 workers at Implats, has rejected the latest offer from the company of between 7.5% and 8%. Unions say employers should pass along the benefits of sky-high precious metal prices to workers
facing increasing food and fuel bills.
Implats and its bigger rival Anglo American Platinum together produce two-thirds of global platinum supply and any prolonged strike could push prices higher.
