[miningmx.com] –Trade union Solidarity on Thursday announced that it rejected what it describes as the skimpy wage increase offer of 3% by Metorex’s Consolidated Murchison Mine (Consmurch) outside Phalaborwa during the first round of wage negotiations at the company.
The union said the company should now take urgent steps to rectify the underpayment of its experts.
“Although artisans at other mines could receive nearly R25 000 per month, an artisan at Consmurch has to be satisfied with a paltry R12 000 per month. It is due to this poor remuneration of employees that a miserable 3% offer is not at all negotiable,” explained Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans.
“During yesterday’s negotiations management bluntly refused to adjust their offer of 3% and they are maintaining that this is all the company can afford at this stage. Meanwhile the last wage increase employees received was in 2008/2009, which means that employees’ salary deficit just keeps increasing,” Kleynhans said.
Solidarity is currently demanding a wage increase of 12%, a three-year moratorium on retrenchments, the implementation of an allowance for scarce skills, production bonuses and a discomfort allowance.
The purpose of this allowance is to compensate employees for additional expenses resulting from the fact that the mine and therefore also the housing are in a remote location, about 70km from the nearest town.
In addition, Solidarity is also demanding a 5% increase in the employer’s pension contribution and a 10% increase in the standby allowance. Furthermore, Solidarity is also insisting that the agreed salary increase be implemented retrospectively from the end of the previous agreement, i.e. from 1 July 2009.
Meanwhile, To the Point, a company that specialises in the purchase and support of mining companies, is investigating the possibility of buying Consmurch from Metorex. Solidarity is negotiating for employees on the C band, which includes artisans and miners. A members’ meeting will be held this coming Monday, following which feedback will be given to the company by Tuesday.
