[miningmx.com] — STRIKE action will begin on Friday evening at Gold Field’s South Deep mine, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) said on Friday.
This followed the Labour Court’s setting aside of the company’s interdict earlier in the day.
“Gold Fields are even going to pay our costs,” Num spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka told I-Net Bridge.
“Around 6,000 miners will down tools tonight to demand transformation.”
Gold Fields, however, said there were only 3,000 employees at the South Deep mine and only two thirds were NUM members.
“So it would be only 2,000 workers and contractors won’t be affected,” said company spokesperson Sven Lunsche.
He added that the court had not set aside the company’s interdict.
“We withdrew the application for an interdict not only on legal advice but because we hoped it would create a better atmosphere for negotiations.”
Lunsche said transformation was a key issue in the dispute.
“The union has demanded to have a say in procurement and tender processes as well as the appointment of senior management, but we believe these issues to be the prerogative of management.’
Gold Fields was “keen” to continue negotiations with the union.
While a strike by Num members would affect production, “we have put measures in place to mitigate the impact”, Lunsche said.
Asked if the Num needed to obtain another strike notice for Friday’s evening’s action, Seshoka said the notice obtained about two weeks ago was still valid.
He added that the dispute had nothing to do with wages.
“It’s about transformation – for over two years we have been saying to the company’s management that it’s not representative according to the laws of this country.”
He confirmed that Gold Fields had approached the Num for further talks.
“We’re not prepared to meet them over a weekend – and we’ll be striking on Monday until a resolution is found.”
