[miningmx.com] — THE National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Thursday that thousands of its members had “overwhelmingly” rejected Kumba Iron Ore’s (KIO) wage offer.
Kumba Iron Ore offered its workers in the lower categories of 7 and 8 a 9% wage increment; those in category 5 and 6, an 8% hike and those in category 3 and 4, a 7% raise.
The NUM’s original demand was for 15% across the board, which had now been lowered to 13% for category 7 and 8; 11% for category 5 and 6, and 10% for category 3 and 4.
The union said Kumba was at the centre of a storm over its retention bonus initiative, which it introduced for artisans in 2009.
“Members demand that they also be given a piece of the retention bonus cake since they are the ones who do the actual jobs for the artisans,” it said.
The NUM called on Kumba to “come to the party with a good offer and avoid confrontation” as seen at the recent Eskom wage negotiations.
